GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising
by Titanic X
Summary: The Grimm. Many know so little about them, despite years - centuries, even - fighting them. As the world draws closer to darkness, so the light continues to rise to battle the Grimm. Out of all these warriors, only a few are the best of the best. And out of those, one of the best is also among one of the strongest...
1. Arc 0 - Prologue

_The Grimm._

 _Very few know what they are, or where they come from, let alone how they came into existence in this world._

 _Dust._

 _What is Dust, exactly? That is a question no one can answer at the moment, nor will we ever answer it. It constantly remains out of reach, out of sight, and out of mind._

 _Aura._

 _Semblance._

 _And many other things in this world._

 _There is so much that remains a mystery, and so many things that remain hidden from human eyes and minds. Even with the Faunus and Mobians, there is so much we don't know about our world, or what threatens us as a whole._

 _We just happen to be caught in the middle._

 _But there are those who wish to take a stand against these threats, and they are perhaps the bravest of us all. Except for those who seek to use what they were given as a means to an end in order to serve their own selfish ambitions. I should know. I've fought numerous people like that, not counting the Grimm, or an even bigger threat to the human race as a whole._

 _The Fallen._

 _Humans imbued with the essence of the Grimm. How do they come into existence? What role do they play in this never-ending war against the Grimm? And how do they get such essence? What does it do to them? These questions may never be answered, or they may be answered in some far future time well beyond where we are currently. The future is never set in stone. That much I know. How, do you ask? Well, that is a tale for another time._

 _Right now, this tale is about how I became involved in the Grimm war, and how it forever changed my life. And about how much I learned about the Grimm, and of how much really threatened our world._

 _My name is Joseph Matthews, and this is my story._


	2. Arc 0 - Pilot

**A new legacy begins...**

 **As the darkness rises...**

 **The light strengthens its warriors...**

 ** ** ** ** ** **A dragon will rise from the ashes of the old...************

 ** ** ** ** ** **To protect all that is new...************

 ** ** ** ** ** **From the monsters who seek to end it all...************

* * *

 **(** _A scene of chaos is shown at the famous Navy Pier in Chicago as creatures bearing black skin and white bone plates attack the civilians, but then a youth decides to intervene in the fight, only to get injured severely._ **)**

 **Start Period - Fullmetal Alchemist OST**

 **(** _The boy is shown in a hospital, lying on a bed as the camera pans in on the flashing light before it fades to blackness._ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **At last we're here at the half way point** **(** _A pair of violet optics flash online as the screen pans out to show a dark blue colored mecha with a pair of draconic wings on the back as he stands atop a building in a city surrounded by mountains._ **)**

 **In the heart of our endless journey** **(** _The mecha flares his wings and takes flight as he draws out a sword from his shield, charging at an imposing black Grimm with large wings and scars across its body._ **)**

 **At last, while everything still is calm (** _As the two collide a flash of light is shown to reveal a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes looking at the camera, a rapier in her left hand as she holds a Dust canister in her right._ **)**

 **Take a deep breath (** _She swings her sword, only for it to extend into a whip as it swirls with wind around it, curtesy of the wind Dust in the chamber._ **)**

 **We both have just began to grasp it (** _The wind engulfs the screen only to vanish as fire surrounds a sword, the camera panning out to show a redheaded woman with a fiery sword in her grasp._ **)**

 **But it's slipped out of our hands (** _The woman slashes with her sword as the camera follows the shockwave before it hits a wasp-like Grimm, incinerating it before the camera is engulfed in flames._ **)**

 **And we will learn from those fragile mistakes (** _The flames vanish as the camera moves up and out of them, showing a city under siege. **)**_

 **'til nothing stands in our way (** _The city defenses struggle to keep the Grimm Horde at bay, only to be aided by two more figures, one of them leaping into the air and firing a Dust-laced rocket from a rocket launcher at the closest Grimm._ **)**

 **An unbreakable bond will forever link our hearts (** _The two figures land, one of them being a man wearing a trench coat and behind him appears a buxom woman in shadow as beside him stands a woman with a hammer in one hand, her gaze locked onto the sky above them._ **)**

 **There's no spell, no hell, that will undo us (** _The camera pivots to show the two from the side and then from the front, only this time they stand beside the mecha and other two women as they stand in front of a large metallic structure._ **)**

 **We have made it here at last (** _The fortress is shown in all its glory, cybernetic organisms lurking around it and several of them aim at the camera as two sinister green optics appear behind the scene, flaring brightly._ **)**

 **In this never ending dance (** _The light envelops the camera only for it to vanish as the scene shows a woman with blonde hair and a man with a slightly darker shade of blonde hair standing in front of the mountain city, the others landing beside them._ **)**

 **And we'll live through us the period of time (** _The group lunges at the screen, weapons drawn as more Grimm attack._ **)**

 ** **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING****

* * *

 _Opening Files: Fallen_

 _Not much is known about the Fallen, so much speculation and rumors are rife, coupled with only limited contact with them. The most well-known facts about the Fallen are that they are humans with the essence of Grimm located within them, and that it gives them powers to rival even the most experienced Hunters and Huntresses at times._

 _One of the most infamous Fallen is the man known as Sammael, one of the first Fallen to ever gain control of his powers and to master his Grimm instinct for killing. He has lived an incredibly long time, so some speculate that the essence of Grimm boosts the life expectancy of any Fallen once they master their abilities. His powers are otherwise unknown, but one thing is clear: he is to not be underestimated, as it is said that he was present at the battle in which the Emperor of Japan lost his sword. However, no one can confirm if it is true or not._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Many things in the unknown are usually feared by others such as children, the elderly, or just any ordinary person. Such fears can give rise to tales of beasts that go bump in the night, and these tales often change over time into stories of caution and warning," TOM explained as he closed the Fallen file. "And sometimes they can lead to lessons one does not expect. And those kinds of lessons only make us stronger in the end."

* * *

 _..._

 _Voices..._

 _What are they saying?_

 _..._

"...r..."

 _Wait..._

 _What...what happened? And for that matter..._

 _Who am I?_

 _Wait..._

 _Things are starting to come back._

 _I'm seeing images... visions... wait, no. These are memories. They're_ my _memories! Yeah! Everything's coming back now!_

 _My name is Joseph Matthews, and I just survived a Grimm attack that left me for dead after I finished saving my friends, Martha Preston and Hunter Jenkins, and our families. The only thing is, I was left a cripple. My entire right side was injured, and I couldn't even move it, save for my eye and mouth. I was given a chance to live without being a cripple courtesy of a new project that was developed in an attempt to cull the enormous numbers of Grimm that attack the cities._

 _And now...I'm confused. What the hell happened... and why can't I hear anything...?_

"...ea...e?"

 _Oh. Wait. I can. But it's all muffled..._

 _Hang on... Why is it all muffled? Was my hearing damaged or something?_

 _No... I can still hear, but it's not... muffled, per say. More like... softer. Or... it's hard to say what it's like._

"...ear...?"

"Don...nk...an..."

 _What's going on? What are they talking about? And who's speaking? If only I could hear better..._

 _Did the Grimm attack leave me with only minor hearing? I... I wish I could hear better... Dammit! I need to know what's going on! I hate being left in the dark like this!_

 _Hold it. Is... Did my hearing just increase?_

"Seph? Can you hear me?"

"I don't know if he can at the moment. I already told you that. We just have to wait until he comes to."

 _I... Wait... Until I come to? I'm already awake! But... wait. Why's everything so... so dark?_

 _Hang on a moment... If I could increase my hearing, then surely I can bring myself to see, right? Let's see... How do I do that?_

 _Oh... What's this?_

 **Booting...**  
 **Systems operational**  
 **Weapons systems: online**  
 **Servos: online**  
 **Thrusters: online**  
 **Communications: online**  
 **Optical sensors: online**  
 **Audio receptors: online**  
 **Tactile sensors: online**  
 **Radar: online**  
 **Psycho frame: offline - activation pending**  
 **Newtype Destroyer System: offline - activation pending**  
 **Minovsky Reactor: online**

 _This... Does this mean...?_

Slowly, my vision began to flicker and come back into existence. My mind was reeling as I watched the surrounding scenery fade into view, mostly as static at first, but slowly becoming clearer. I could now see that I was in a room of some sort, with people surrounding me. I could make out their faces, each etched with worry and concern. I noticed Martha Preston off to the side, her blue-grey eyes filled with worry and her sandy blonde hair covering her face partially. Off to her left stood Hunter Jenkins, his own, slightly darker sandy blonde hair covering one of his brown eyes. The man that stood beside the two was the one who initially offered me the proposition, but his name escaped me.

I tried to turn my head, and was surprised when I did, but the sensation felt very weird, as if gears were moving in my neck. I shuddered at the sensation and at once Hunter cried out and wrapped his arms around my chest. "Seph!" he blurted. "Man, I wasn't sure you were gonna wake up, dude!"

I couldn't even move or do anything, I was so weak. Or rather, my mind had not fully acclimated to my new frame at that point. At least I was able to move my head for the moment. I finally tried to speak, and winced at the harsh sound of static coming from my throat.

Or rather, I tried to.

I discovered that my facial features were no longer capable of physical expressions.

The faint tendrils of panic began to creep its way into my mind and I felt my new reactor increase its humming in my chest. The very sensation sent shudders racing through my frame and I couldn't help it.

"Take it easy, kid," the man said, placing a hand on my shoulder guard. I turned my head to look at him, and he must've seen the panic in my eyes - err, optics - because he had a reassuring look on his face. "I know everything's new to you, and I can't blame you for panicking. I would too, if I were in your situation. But in order to get a better grasp on your frame, you have to calm down. Panicking won't do you any good in this instance."

I nodded, trying to take in deep breaths to calm my frazzled nerves, or figurative nerves at this point. The sensation of taking in air through intakes was weird, but it did help to reduce the panic.

Well, somewhat.

My reactor was still racing, but at least it wasn't as loud as it had been before.

The man nodded. "Good. Now, I'm sure you know of me since I introduced myself before the procedure, but in case you forgot, I am Dr. Cardias Vist, the CEO of the Vist Foundation, and head of the Project."

I remembered that. It just was all blurry at the moment. It would take me some time to sort through the data that was now my memories. The mere thought made me shudder again, but he merely smiled reassuringly. "Just hang on for a moment." He removed his hand from my shoulder guard and turned to look at the screens beside my table. From what I could see, they were displaying diagnostic information on my frame, and one of them had a full body image of it with arms and legs spread, as well as a set of wings.

Now that I thought about it, as I shifted a bit - trying to get used to my frame - I could feel something pressing against my back. Something folded rather tightly. It felt _very_ uncomfortable. I tried to move to alleviate the sensation in my back, and the next thing I knew I was on the floor of the room, sprawled on my chest in a heap of dark blue metal armor. I managed to lift my head as Cardias and my friends gathered around, my parents looking extremely worried as they watched from further back.

At least the uncomfortable feeling in my back was gone.

I tried to glance over my shoulder, but I still wasn't used to the way my frame moved, so the effort was useless. But I could feel something partially spread behind me.

And yet... I hated this.

I just felt so... helpless. Even after the procedure... I had expected to be more adapted. I had no idea how wrong I'd be. In fact, I almost wished I hadn't gone through with this stupid idea!

Key word, _almost_.

I struggled to get one of my arms under me, to at least get myself off the floor partly. But I couldn't even move my own hands now. I mentally gritted my teeth in frustration. ' _C'mon... Move, dammit! MOVE!_ ' I thought angrily. I tried to flex a hand, but I didn't get anything.

"I said you have to calm down," Cardias said, his voice reaching my audios as he slipped a hand under my frame and started to lift. He shifted and finally laid me back against the side of the table, making sure that I wasn't too uncomfortable. Now that I was sitting down, I could at least take a glance at my sides. I turned my head to the left and was shocked to see what appeared to be a draconic wing-like appendage partially spread, equipped with some kind of fin-like devices. My head whipped to the right and there was the same thing.

' _The hell?!_ ' I thought in confusion. ' _I have wings?!_ '

Cardias seemed to have sensed my confusion and he smiled a bit. "Don't worry. The wings are something that will be of use to you down the road."

' _Gee, ya think?_ ' I grumbled to myself in my thoughts. I couldn't speak, let alone move the rest of my body, at this point, and it really made me frustrated.

"Uh, Dr. Vist? Are you sure that he'll be able to move and stuff?" Martha asked in worry. "Because right now, he can't even do any of that."

Dr. Vist nodded. "Yes, but he needs to get used to his new frame, and that will take some time. Right now, he's basically at the level of an infant for movement and speaking," he explained. "But he will be able to."

"Somehow I doubt that," Hunter grumped. "Seems to me like you just wanted to use him for your little project to see if it would even work."

I was shocked at Hunter's bluntness. But also, I was a bit worried that he had only used me to test the project out. He hadn't really said why he even asked me to begin with. I looked in his direction, still feeling like I wasn't in a much better position than I had been as a cripple.

Dr. Vist's face was unreadable as he knelt down beside me, ignoring Hunter's comment. He grabbed a small light from a nearby cart of tools and held it up, shining it in my left optic. I turned my head away in response to prevent my optics from being blinded. He grabbed my head and turned it back to face him, and he leaned in, examining my optics closely. I shivered a bit under the intense scrutiny, wondering just what was going through his head at that point.

Thankfully it didn't last for long as he finally let go of my head and turned to make a note on the tablet he held in his hand. I couldn't see what it was, but somehow I had a feeling it had to do with my frame's functionality. He finally sighed before he placed the tablet down and ran a hand down his features. "This is going to take more time than I anticipated..." he muttered. "Seeing as how you're unable to really do much else aside from movement of your head."

I nodded, feeling my reactor increase its humming in my frustration. I tried to speak again, but once more static issued from my new electronic vocalizer. I mentally winced at it. I hated this so much...

Martha stepped closer to me and knelt beside me. "Seph, it's gonna be okay. We'll try and help you somehow," she said.

Hunter nodded, ignoring Dr. Vist and kneeling beside Martha. "Yeah, dude. We'll help you."

I felt relief surge through my frame and my shoulders sagged, the tension escaping my new hydraulics. The sensation felt awkward as they hissed with releasing tension. A sigh of relief escaped me in the form of air being expelled from my vents. Until I could figure out how my new vocalizer worked, it was all I could do at the moment.

Dr. Vist finally stood and made his way over to where my parents were and started to speak with them in hushed tones. That left me with just my friends as they both slipped one of my arms around their shoulders, Martha to my left, Hunter on my right. Together they were able to at least lift me off the ground so I was somewhat standing.

"Man... this bites," Hunter muttered under his breath. "Having to help you adjust to a whole new body? I'd rather you'd not gone through with this, Seph."

I nodded, feeling the same way.

"Sure wish you had the ability to speak," Martha said softly. "Then we wouldn't have to guess what you're thinking."

Again I nodded in agreement.

"Okay. Let's try and get you standing at least," Hunter remarked. He and Martha proceeded to guide me over to an empty corner of the room, so as to not cause any damage to any of the instruments or equipment back by the table. The two of them slowly removed my arms from around their shoulders and stepped back, but unfortunately I still couldn't control my frame, so I wound up collapsing onto my side, one of my wings pinned beneath me. The two scrambled back over and hauled me to my feet, and this time they didn't let go.

"Geez! This is gonna take forever!" Hunter grumbled as he slipped my arm around his shoulder again.

"Seph, can you at least try and move something else?" Martha asked.

I jerked my head to look at her. But since I couldn't make facial expressions anymore, I had to resort to a stare, and she seemed to get uncomfortable. I felt a surge of guilt and helplessness within me and I expelled some air from my vents in a pseudo-sigh. I turned my head away in shame and embarrassment for making her uneasy.

I really, really wanted to be able to speak to them, and to move at least something else, as well as stand or something.

I really, really, _really_ wanted it. I wanted my old independence back. My old freedom. My old life.

Well, maybe not my old life, but... my ability to live my life as I saw fit. Not trapped in a frame I could barely use, let alone control at the moment. It felt like I had been reduced to... well... a baby. The whole thing was really embarrassing to me, for I was a nineteen year old kid, having to relearn _everything_ about my body and movement. I hung my head and growled to myself in my thoughts. In a way, this was sort of like the ultimate irony: crippled by a Grimm, given the chance to live again and fight them on an even footing, only to be trapped in a frame I had no control over, basically stripped of my independence.

But then again, wasn't that why I had chosen to go through with this in the first place? To protect the ones I cared about from the same fate? If so, then my reasoning had to have been flawed from the beginning.

Still, I had to try. My friends were very close to me, as were their parents. I had to try this despite my feelings on it. After all, if there was any threat that needed to be halted, it was the Grimm. And I wasn't about to let anyone else die like those innocents at Navy Pier.

I lowered my head and, after a bit of frustrated fiddling around, managed to turn off my optics as I focused. I let myself go, my mind starting to tentatively explore my frame. I still couldn't move, but I could at least feel things. I focused on that instead, even though I wasn't sure it would be of much help.

The things I could definitely feel were my wings as they hung sort of half-open, half-closed against my back. I also felt the joints, and I tentatively tried to move them, or at least I imagined how they'd feel if they moved, since I couldn't move to begin with. I had no idea that it was all it took in order to regain movement capability. But at the time, it seemed like it hadn't worked. I turned my optics back on and growled to myself. But that was not just in my head.

A low rumble seemed to resonate from somewhere, and I jerked my head up, looking left and right in confusion before I realized my two friends were staring at me. Hunter had his eyes wide and Martha was staring with her mouth open. "Dude... Seph... Did you just growl?" Hunter asked.

I looked at him in surprise. "W...W...Whu...?" I suddenly stopped, realizing that I was actually _speaking_ , and not just emitting static. Oh, sure it was still somewhat present, but there were sounds that resembled phonetics in there too. Words, basically. I looked at my hand draped over his shoulder, and, on a hunch, tried to wriggle it.

The digits twitched ever so slightly. I tried again, feeling elation and excitement flooding my frame. This time they twitched a bit more, and made a slight movement like they were trying to clench into a fist. A third attempt yielded the results I was hoping for as my hand curled into a fist. Hunter watched with a slight smile forming. "Well, looks like you're starting to get the hang of the new frame," he said.

I merely chuckled, trying to clear out the static in my voice.

It was progress, at least.

The next few hours yielded some good results. By the time Dr. Vist was done speaking with my parents, I was at least able to stand on my own and had some basic control back. I still had a long way to go, but it was far better than being immobile. He came back over to the three of us as we made our way over, with me actually stumbling a bit as I still wasn't used to my new wings. A look of surprise crossed his features.

"You figured out how to move," he muttered as a small smile tugged at his lips. "I guess we were right about you, son."

"Yeah? Then mind explaining to me why you really did this project?" I growled, my voice coming through somewhat clearer, despite the static.

The man merely shook his head. "I cannot say, as that's classified. But what I can tell you is that this project will hopefully turn the tide against the Grimm and other individuals who may harbor dark ambitions," he explained.

That threw me for a loop. "Others with dark ambitions?" I was confused.

Dr. Vist nodded, his expression grim. (No pun intended.) "Yes," he stated. "Grimm aren't the only threat out there. And one of these threats is a lot closer to home than we initially thought. For they are both Grimm and mortals."

All of us were confused by the statement. Except for Hunter's mother, who had been a well known Huntress before a Grimm took her left eye and arm. Her one eye hardened and she gritted her teeth. "I remember those beings clearly," she snarled.

"Yes..." Dr. Vist narrowed his eyes. "The Fallen."

That threw me for a loop. "The Fallen?" I cocked my head, confusion flooding my optics.

Dr. Vist was dead serious as he turned to face us. "Yes. Fallen are humans who have the essence of Grimm instilled within them. No one knows for sure how they come into existence, let alone how they get the very essence of Grimm implanted within them. Some theorize that they're the offspring of a human and Grimm, but scientific evidence has shot that claim full of holes. So... they're as mysterious to us as the Grimm are. What little we do know is that the Grimm usually attack them at birth and then raise them within their territory to become followers of the Grimm. It's a terrifying prospect for any family to lose a child to those things," he explained. "I should know, as one of my children was stolen to become a Fallen at birth." His eyes hardened and he clenched his fists. "Alberto... my oldest child..." He gritted his teeth and I got a sense of pain from him.

I hesitantly reached out a hand, feeling a strange sensation in my throat as I took a step forward. It felt like a lump was forming in my throat, even though I no longer was flesh and blood. I gulped nervously, and the sensation faded slowly. I laid a hand on his shoulder and he turned to look at me. "I...Dr. Vist..." I had no idea on what to say. I just didn't have anything that could be conveyed into words. But the gesture was enough to make him smile a bit.

"Thanks, son. You're a good man," he said. "But it's too late for him. He died three years ago during a major operation against several Huntsmen. I've gotten past his death, but..." He looked down, and clenched his fists tighter. "...I just wish I knew what led to Fallen forming..."

I nodded. "Yeah. I kinda figured as much," I joked, trying to cheer him up.

The man smiled as he grasped my mechanical hand and removed it from his shoulder. "Right now, we have more important things to worry about though," he said, his face becoming serious as he returned to the matter at hand.

Mom finally turned to look at me, and Dad joined her. "Seph..." I turned to face them, and I hoped they saw my emotions in my optics as I waited for them to speak.

"Seph, we're so proud of you for what you did," Mom said finally. "But... this is still hard for us, seeing you give up your old life like this. Sometimes I still wish you were a little kid... so I could tuck you in and say good night..."

"I know, Mom," I said.

"Joseph, I'm not too thrilled about this idea, but you have proven yourself in the past, so... I guess I can live with this," Dad told me. "As long as you be careful and stay in contact with us from time to time."

My optics flickered in a smile as I nodded. "I would never stay out of contact for long," I said reassuringly. "That much you know from my childhood and high school."

"Then I guess this is it. You've finally chosen your path, and we wish you the best of luck," Dad remarked with a smile.

Mom and Dad both embraced me and I hugged them back, trying to not use my full strength. I hoped that I hadn't used too much, but when I let go, it became clear that I had used just the right amount of strength and pressure.

Dr. Vist smiled as he turned to face me. "We'll start your training as soon as you feel you're ready," he said.

I nodded. At least he was being considerate of my feelings.


	3. Arc 0 - First Job

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **(** _A scene of chaos is shown at the famous Navy Pier in Chicago as creatures bearing black skin and white bone plates attack the civilians, but then a youth decides to intervene in the fight, only to get injured severely._ **)**

 **Start Period - Fullmetal Alchemist OST**

 **(** _The boy is shown in a hospital, lying on a bed as the camera pans in on the flashing light before it fades to blackness._ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **At last we're here at the half way point** **(** _A pair of violet optics flash online as the screen pans out to show a dark blue colored mecha with a pair of draconic wings on the back as he stands atop a building in a city surrounded by mountains._ **)**

 **In the heart of our endless journey** **(** _The mecha flares his wings and takes flight as he draws out a sword from his shield, charging at an imposing black Grimm with large wings and scars across its body._ **)**

 **At last, while everything still is calm (** _As the two collide a flash of light is shown to reveal a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes looking at the camera, a rapier in her left hand as she holds a Dust canister in her right._ **)**

 **Take a deep breath (** _She swings her sword, only for it to extend into a whip as it swirls with wind around it, curtesy of the wind Dust in the chamber._ **)**

 **We both have just began to grasp it (** _The wind engulfs the screen only to vanish as fire surrounds a sword, the camera panning out to show a redheaded woman with a fiery sword in her grasp._ **)**

 **But it's slipped out of our hands (** _The woman slashes with her sword as the camera follows the shockwave before it hits a wasp-like Grimm, incinerating it before the camera is engulfed in flames._ **)**

 **And we will learn from those fragile mistakes (** _The flames vanish as the camera moves up and out of them, showing a city under siege. **)**_

 **'til nothing stands in our way (** _The city defenses struggle to keep the Grimm Horde at bay, only to be aided by two more figures, one of them leaping into the air and firing a Dust-laced rocket from a rocket launcher at the closest Grimm._ **)**

 **An unbreakable bond will forever link our hearts (** _The two figures land, one of them being a man wearing a trench coat and behind him appears a buxom woman in shadow as beside him stands a woman with a hammer in one hand, her gaze locked onto the sky above them._ **)**

 **There's no spell, no hell, that will undo us (** _The camera pivots to show the two from the side and then from the front, only this time they stand beside the mecha and other two women as they stand in front of a large metallic structure._ **)**

 **We have made it here at last (** _The fortress is shown in all its glory, cybernetic organisms lurking around it and several of them aim at the camera as two sinister green optics appear behind the scene, flaring brightly._ **)**

 **In this never ending dance (** _The light envelops the camera only for it to vanish as the scene shows a woman with blonde hair and a man with a slightly darker shade of blonde hair standing in front of the mountain city, the others landing beside them._ **)**

 **And we'll live through us the period of time (** _The group lunges at the screen, weapons drawn as more Grimm attack._ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

* * *

 _Opening File: Dracon_

 _Dracon is a well-known Huntsman who has tangled with many kinds of enemies, usually Grimm, but also the Fallen known as General Reginald Skarr. Dracon's origins are steeped in much controversy, as he was originally a human youth who was gravely injured, but given a robotic frame to allow him to live his life without being a cripple. However, despite this controversial treatment, he has proven himself time and time again, often clashing with Skarr or large numbers of Grimm to defend innocents. He has made friends and allies with many Hunters, including Scotty Blake of Clan Blake in Scotland._

 _His arsenal consists of fin funnels attached to his wings, a beam magnum, a Hyper Beam Sword, shoulder missile pods, four beam sabers, head-mounted Vulcan cannons, Dracon funnel fangs attached to his shield, and of course, his signature Beam Burst Gun. When coupled with his intelligence, incredible agility and speed, and his immense physical strength, he is a force to be reckoned with, and this combination allows him to even go toe to toe with other Fallen. He is by now a class V Huntsman, just on par with Scotty Blake._

 _Close File_

* * *

"A reputation is usually something that people strive to make. It can either be good, or it can be bad. Not many people know that their actions impact their reputation. So for instance, if you were working at a store and acted out, people would start to see you as a disruptive employee, and take action to have you removed from their business. But in contrast, if you were a professional employee who did an outstanding job, you'd be seen as an excellent employee and maybe bring in more customers," TOM lectured as he closed up the Dracon file. "But in order to get that reputation, you have to start out small. No reputation comes overnight, you know."

* * *

The next months were _brutal_.

I spent every waking moment going through hours of familiar motions such as walking, running, sprinting, jumping, and even climbing. The first few days were nothing short of embarrassing as I stumbled and staggered, oftentimes falling onto my back, chest, and one time my butt. Just to even get the hang of walking again was a trial in of itself. I had to adjust to the way each component of my legs moved, as I needed to think about moving each one in order to appropriately walk again. The very fact I had to through that though was what made me feel so useless in a sense.

But as I continued the training, it seemed that the motions were becoming second nature to me. My steps began to become steadier and more natural, and my falls became less and less frequent. My friends made attempts to stop by every so often to assist me and see how I was doing, which made the training somewhat more bearable for me. When a full month had passed, I was at least able to walk again, which really gave me my sense of independence back. The hardest thing was even trying to prevent myself from collapsing whenever my wings were off kilter or something.

The days grew into weeks, and I found myself becoming faster at walking. So Dr. Vist had me move into jogging. That wasn't so hard, if not for the fact I kept tripping over my own two feet for the first few days of that. The training passed by, the weeks flying into months and I also found that my reflexes had vastly improved over my human reflexes. Jogging slowly turned into running, then sprinting. I found I was much faster on my feet, and my jumping ability was much greater to boot. I could now leap twice as high as I could in my human flesh, and when coupled with my new thruster pack, I could jump farther than I could without it. Add in the thrusters built into my legs and rear skirt armor, and I was able to maneuver much faster. I also learned that I was able to fly when I accidentally fell off the obstacle course and kicked on my thruster pack in an attempt to slow down my descent with my wings spread.

I had to admit, the basic movements were hard to master in this new frame. But at the same time, I found a lot of unique skills that even Huntsmen and Huntresses could only attain through the use of Dust, Aura, or Semblance, such as flight.

And that, I realized with a pleasurable hum, was the best about my frame.

Flying in the air... it was just so freeing. To see the ground below you and to leave those worries behind... nothing but the air around you and freedom of movement in three directions... now I knew why some people enjoyed it more than walking or driving. But to me, I had total control over myself in the air. I could simply wiggle my legs to steer right, left, or whatever. Adjusting my body allowed me to fly in any direction, and using my thruster pack allowed me to increase or decrease my speed. To feel the wind rushing around me was another freeing aspect. It was like a massive playground up there, but with just you and the air.

But what really shocked me was the sheer strength I now possessed. During a training fight against a captured Grimm, I actually wound up punching it right in the head, and my fist went clean through as a result. I recoiled in shock and horror, and after that I refused to fight until my friends informed me that it was actually a good thing, and they told me about Scotty Blake, one of the most well-known Huntsmen in Scotland, and of how he too had great physical strength that only grew stronger when he used his Semblance. I had to admit, _that_ was a terrifying prospect. I eventually came to accept my new strength, and proceeded to use it to my advantage, and I found that it was also a help in many cases, such as in emergency situations that required heavy lifting.

The hardest part though was learning to use my new weapons. I quickly got the hang of the Hyper Beam Sword, as I had learned some basic swordsmanship from Hunter during my high school years. The beam magnum was easy enough to master as well, seeing as how I had a targeting system installed within me to help with my aim. What was a real problem were the wireless weapons, like my new fin funnels and Dracon fangs equipped to my shield. Those took weeks to get the basic hang of, and even then I still couldn't control them well enough to actually use them in combat. The one weapon I actually took a liking to was the Beam Burst gun on my right arm, and actually I found that it suited me. The beam sabers and beam tonfas were also easy enough to master.

By the time I was finished, a whole year had passed... well, more like a year and three and a half months, really.

But that time had also given me a chance to learn as much about the Grimm as I possibly could, but what I did learn was not that new, to be honest. The information was somewhat helpful though, I will admit.

My final moments at the Vist building finally came, and I exited the training and observation chamber, my friends and family waiting at the entrance to the facility.

"Seph..." Martha stood there with Hunter beside her, their gazes locked onto me. "You'll at least visit us, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah. You bet," I remarked, placing a metal hand on her shoulder.

She smiled in relief and Hunter held up a fist. "Try not to get killed out there," he joked. I chuckled and gave him a light fist bump before turning to my parents. Mom and Dad both held worried looks in their eyes, and I couldn't blame them.

"Mom, Dad... I'll be careful," I told them. "And I'll try and visit as much as I can."

"All right. And Seph... try to avoid any Fallen. You may be tougher and stronger now, but you're still not ready to face them," Dad said sternly. "It's best you stay clear until you have more experience."

I nodded. "Will do, Dad."

Dr. Vist cleared his throat to catch my attention and I turned. "Oh, and Joseph? One last thing. Since this project is top secret, you can't exactly go out without a means of disguise."

"Like what?" I asked.

"You can use anything here to create whatever disguise suits you best," the CEO explained. He gestured to the wide array of materials, ranging from cloth to even wires and hologram projectors. I mentally perused all of them, trying to see which would work. But seeing as how I wasn't so keen on running the risk of a hologram projector shorting out on me, I decided to go with something rather simple, but effective. I made my way over and grabbed a piece of tarp, holding it up and throwing it around myself like a cloak.

Martha and Hunter both stared for a moment while my parents smiled in approval.

"Wow... Hate to admit it, but that's kinda cool, Seph," Hunter remarked.

"You think so?" I asked.

Martha nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It somehow suits you."

I felt a slight hum from my reactor and I smiled in my optics. "Yeah? Well, then..." I turned to face Dr. Vist.

Cardias smiled in response. "If it works, then go with it," he said. "And remember, that the beasts of possibility will soar one day."

I cocked my head in confusion, but let it go as I turned and made my way out of the facility, taking my first steps into the unknown world of the Huntsmen.

* * *

Of course, that was just the beginning. The next component was training, and I was not willing to risk going to a training school close to the major cities. So I did some poking around and after some research, found a school located in a very small town that did have a Hunstman program. It wasn't well known, but it did produce a lot of good Huntsmen and Huntresses. So I set out to enroll, and as it turned out, it was a community college program, so I was eligible for it.

The school itself wasn't very big, nor was it really state-of-the-art. But it did do the job. The name of the school was Laplace Community College, located in the small town of Laplace, Michigan. The town held only about fifteen thousand people, but that didn't matter much at first. What _did_ matter was that the college's Huntsman program was starting up that summer, and I was not going to sit by and do nothing. So I headed out, taking buses to avoid flying and drawing attention to myself. The journey there didn't take very long, about a day and a half, and when I arrived it was early June.

The next four years were spent at the school, going through the training, education, and skills to become a Huntsman. Normally I would've delved into that, but that'll be a different story. Right now, you need to know what drew me into the war against the Grimm... and the Fallen, as well. Four years of training had honed my skills, and allowed me to get better use of my frame, which was perhaps the biggest thing to me. Even a year's worth of training was not enough to give me full mastery of everything in it.

By the time I had graduated, I was able to hold my own against several large Grimm at once. The real threats though were the numbers of the smaller Grimm. I still had yet to fully master my fin funnels, but at least I was able to use them more precisely. I finally left Laplace, heading out and starting to wander the world, taking on missions and jobs to hunt the Grimm.

My first job took me to a small town just north of Detroit, a community of only five thousand people named Staffordshire.

The day was rainy, and there was no way a sunbeam could poke through the thick clouds. Thunder rent open the sky and lightning flashed brightly, throwing the area into illumination briefly. The rain lashed at my cloak, which by now was starting to get torn and tattered, but that mattered little as long as the tears were minor. Any big gashes I found I had to sew shut myself; so I purchased a small sewing kit I stashed in a small compartment on my side skirt armor. The decision proved to be sound, as now I was able to mend my cloak to keep myself hidden.

Anyway, as I wandered through the streets, I spotted some other Huntsmen and Huntresses walking about in this weather, and they clearly didn't look very comfortable. I wasn't much better, to be honest. But at least my frame was built to take this kind of weather. I shivered a bit on instinct as my sensors detected a cold breeze blowing off Lake Michigan. I looked around, my gaze landing on the hotel close to the intersection where I was standing. The building wasn't in too bad a shape, only a few worn shutters on the lower levels. Everything else was in good shape. I walked over to the door and made my way inside.

The door was in need of an oiling, I noticed as soon as I opened it. The interior of the inn was very dingy, with shady folks and some scarred Huntsmen and Huntresses all sitting around the small bar in the far corner. An old fireplace held a wood-burning fire, and the air reeked of cigar smoke and cheap booze. I winced internally from the smells and drew my cloak closer to my frame. I glanced down at my shaking hands and clenched them into fists, trying to ignore the fluttering sensation in my lower torso. My reactor was humming just the tiniest bit louder in my audios and I took in a deep breath to try and calm my figurative nerves.

To be honest, this was my first time being in a place like this. I figured it had to be because I came from a nice small town, with decent income, and new, modern buildings that weren't as shady or as rundown. But this... if this was where my job would take me, then I started to regret my decision to even go through with the proposal those six years ago. And yet I still had a job to do. I squashed any doubt and stood up straight, squaring my shoulders and adopting a confident pose as I made my way over to the guest registry desk. I ignored my racing reactor and rapped on the side of the desk with one of my feet.

The woman behind it looked up, her gaze landing on me and sweeping me up and down. She frowned. "You're new here," she said in a nasally tone. I winced to myself in my thoughts.

"Yes, I am," I said in a deep baritone. It wasn't much of a surprise anymore, especially as since in the aftermath of my training Dr. Visit had surprised me with the adjustment to my vocalizer before I left.

The woman frowned. "You a new Huntsman?" she asked. "Because only newcomers carry the air you do: cocky, confident, and ignorant."

I leaned in, my optics boring into her eyes. "I may be new, but I'm not stupid," I told her firmly. "I've seen loss, and seen what the Grimm can do." And it was true too.

She curled her lips and I saw her teeth were colored black from tobacco. I quickly averted my gaze, keeping my optics locked onto her eyes. "So... have any spare rooms?" I asked.

The woman pursed her lips and glanced around. Several of the shady folk were looking our way, and I glanced back at them. One of them was a big man, standing at around six foot four, just two inches taller than me. He was muscular in build, and he had a thick thatch of brown hair that hung down in greasy strands around his grizzled face. He had a huge club slung over his back and he wore a tattered coat with a grungy shirt straining against a thick gut and oil-stained pants, scuffed up shoes on his feet. He stood up and sneered as he made his way over to us.

"Well. Looks like we gots ourselves a newbie," he said, sneering at me. He suddenly lashed out and grabbed my cloak, pulling me close to his face. I let out a small gasp as he picked me up off the ground, and my covered hands grabbed his arm on instinct. He chuckled, and I instantly closed my vents to try and block the smell of his booze breath; it made me sick to my nonexistent stomach. "Trying to act like a pro Huntsman. But you're just a little kid! I mean, come on!" He glanced back at his buddies.

"Whaddya think, boys?" he asked, shaking me. "Pop him a new one?"

The men gathered at the table he had been at all hooted and hollered at the suggestion. I could only guess it meant trouble. But I had strict orders to not reveal myself to the world due to the secrecy of the project. The man turned to face me and he sneered. "Well, it's unaminous! I'm gona pop you a new one, newbie!" His hand reached for his club and pulled it free from his back. My optics picked out the Dust chambers and I guessed this club to be his signature weapon. Thinking fast, I drew back my feet and lashed out in a kick to his chest.

My feet struck him in the solar plexus and he staggered back from the impact, letting go of my cloak as he did so. I landed on my feet and got into a fighting stance, fists raised and clenched. I studied the man as he straightened up and rubbed his chest with one massive hand. His eyes narrowed as he looked at me, fury filling those blue eyes. "You... You son of a...!" A loud roar escaped him as he held his club over his head and charged at me, intent on bashing my head to bits. I flared my optics a bit before he swung, and I dodged it, moving to the side as the head slammed into the floor of the inn.

The fight starting was enough to get the attention of several people in the inn, and even the woman at the desk was startled by the impact of the man's club. She was on her feet in a flash, running for us and she attempted to get between us, but the man grunted and shoved her aside with one meaty hand. He looked her in the eyes, and his Aura flared into action, a green color that resembled slime. "You little bitch! You dare to interfere?!"

The woman's eyes widened and she screamed as the man prepared to bring his club down on her.

That was the final straw. I clenched my fists and darted in, my fist flying out and connecting solidly with the man's jaw. He cried out as he was thrown back by the force of my punch. I hadn't used my full strength, but just enough to give him a bruised jaw. He crashed into a table, startling a few patrons as they scrambled out of his way, and he rolled onto his stomach, pushing himself to his feet. He turned and looked at me with rage blazing in his eyes, and he rubbed his jaw with his hand. "You... So... you're willing to fight for the bitch? Trying to get into her pants and hump her?"

I snarled. "Hardly!" I hissed. "I'm not that kind of person! I'm just trying to stand up for what's right! And that, my friend, is anything but right! No one hurts an innocent and gets away with it! Least of all a Huntsman! I'm surprised you call yourself a Huntsman with the way you behave!"

The man sneered at me. "So what? It's a dog eat dog world, kiddie. And this is just the way things are!"

That was it. Ignoring the cries from several people, I grabbed the man by his shirt and pulled him close to my face. "You think that being a Huntsman is all about glory and money?!" I practically shouted the words as I shook him. "You think that it's all about survival of the fittest?! Well, think again! Because not all of us here agree with that philosophy! In fact, some of us hate it!"

"That attitude won't get you far, kiddie," the man snorted as he spat in my face.

His spittle struck my faceplate and I flared my optics brightly. "Well, yours won't either, bastard!" I hissed.

The man didn't even hesitate to go on the offense again, this time slamming me with a brutal backhand that knocked me flat on my back. I landed on the floor of the inn and skidded a bit before I sat up, rubbing my faceplate with one hand. I got to my feet, letting my hand drift for my cloak. "You just made a big mistake, buster," I said slowly. "I don't like to fight, and actually, I would prefer not to. But given the circumstances, and how you're acting, you leave me with no choice but to fight."

"Oh? A little mister pussycat?" the man guffawed. "You going to scratch me with your puny claws?"

"No," I said as I slowly reached for the hood. "I'm not." I removed the hood from my head and the man gaped in shock as he saw my true features. I also threw open my cloak, exposing my true frame for him to see. I even flared my wings for dramatic effect. "I'm not a pussycat. And I'm going to show you what I truly am."

The man staggered back, his eyes wide in shock. "W-What _are_ you?!" he blurted, pointing at me with his club.

"Just a Hunstman trying to make his way in the world," I replied, cracking the metallic joints in my neck and knuckles. "And you... are going to regret pissing me off."

I lunged for the man as he activated his Aura, channeling it into defense. I threw a punch for his protruding gut and connected with it, but at only half my full strength. The blow was enough to send him rolling, this time for the side of the inn, right where a window was. The window smashed as he was knocked out, and he landed in the street. I leapt out of the shattered window and slipped into the shadows around him. He got to his feet and looked around, hefting his club and spinning the Dust chamber until there was yellow Dust in it. I frowned in my thoughts as I saw this.

' _Yellow Dust... he's planning to strike me with it if I come out and go for a physical strike,_ ' I mused as I watched him. I reached for my beam magnum. ' _Gonna have to go long range then._ ' I grasped the weapon and pulled it free from my back and aimed it. "So... you're smart, knowing that my body is encased in metal armor; therefore you went for the yellow Dust. But... not good enough," I said as I leaned out of the shadows and fired.

The man spun, and slammed his club down on the ground. "Oh yeah?! Well, _you're_ stupid for even taking this fight outside!"

My optics flashed in surprise as I saw the lightning arcing right for me! I crouched and sprang off the ground, kicking off the building closest to me before landing atop some crates. The lightning crackled along the water-lined street and I gulped as I realized how close I had come to being electrocuted - and I had been electrocuted once during my Huntsman training. It actually _hurt_! And not like electrocuting a human would. For me, being electrocuted was close to torture, with all systems being overloaded by the sheer voltage running through them, and the sheer _agony_... It was enough to make me offline for a few days, during which I was kept under observation to see if anything was wrong with my processor.

Now though, I was not about to let it happen again. I shifted and watched as my opponent turned and ran at the crates, swinging his club and bringing it down, intent on smashing the crates I was on. I sprang off the crates and whipped my foot around in a kick, nailing him in the gut again, his Aura taking the blow and shielding him from major harm. He went rolling, but was back on his feet a moment later. He spun his Dust chamber to red Dust and swung the club down, slamming the head on the ground and sending a fire tower towards me. I reacted by throwing up my left arm, the fire slamming into my shield. The I-field - a type of field designed around the new Minovsky Particle theory - took the flames and they dissipated from around it, revealing my shield intact.

I lowered my arm. "Nice try," I said. "But I'm well equipped to handle anything that comes my way."

"Yeah?!" the man shouted, drawing attention from the broken inn window and people looked out, watching us with nervousness and worry. I forced myself to pay attention to my opponent, only to find he was gone. Had I been able to, I would've blinked in shock. Instead, I looked around, wondering where he went.

The last thing I expected was to receive a brutal blow, as if a club had slammed me over the sku-err, helm. I actually went sprawling as static and stars erupted in my vision, blurring my Heads-Up-Display and making my vision fuzzy. I shook my helm to try and reduce the throbbing pain in my processor, which felt like it had been smashed against the inside of my head.

"Heh. Some Huntsman you are! You can't even combat my Semblance!" the man's voice sneered from nowhere.

I mentally gritted my teeth as I realized he had gotten the jump on me. ' _Dammit! Now I gotta try and find him! Only problem is... I don't know how!_ ' I thought angrily. ' _How am I supposed to track him down!? I thought Dr. Vist said that I had radar installed! But he never even told me how to get it to work!_ '

I needn't have worried for long though. In my anger, I whirled around, and my fist did collide with something and it blocked, but I had no idea what it was. I needed desperately to see, and _see_ him, not just with eyesight, but... with a new sense. My radar.

The next thing I knew, I felt something... stir... within me, and a faint tingling raced through my frame before I seemed to get this... flash... of something in the lower right hand corner of my HUD. Confused, I shifted my gaze to that part and I was staring at a small rectangle with a greenish dot in the middle - I guessed that to be me - and a more earthen green dot as it circled around me. I knew it had to be my opponent.

For the first time I was actually using my sensors to keep track of him. As the small earthen green dot lunged for my location on the map, I moved to the left, and I heard a yelp of surprise. I knew I had him.

My fist whipped out and slammed itself into his gut, and this time he gasped as his body shimmered back into view. His eyes were bulging and he looked like he was going to throw up his dinner. I moved to the right and my hand snatched him by his hair and I drew him close to my face. I made sure to flare my optics as he coughed and threatened to throw up on me.

"You think you're so tough? Well, guess what? You're not," I muttered. "Now get out... and never come here again!"

I roughly shoved the man back and he turned and ran for it.

* * *

By the time I returned to the inn, it was a madhouse and people were trying to clamor over me to get a glimpse. But I rejected it and the woman agreed, saying that I needed my rest, and she even threatened to throw people out into the rain if they came after me. I also learned the name of the man I had just fought: Jackson McGille, a Huntsman who made a name for himself by massacring Grimm using his club to bash their skulls in. He was also supposedly a crooked Huntsman, but no one could prove he had embezzled hundreds of dollars into his accounts. That just made things more interesting, I mused as I entered my room.

Thankfully it was on the second floor, so no one would bother me.

I tossed my cloak onto the chair and flopped back on the bed, my hands laced behind my helm as I gazed at the ceiling. I could still feel the clout, but thankfully there was no dent. I chuckled to myself a bit. ' _I guess that meteorite's metal is tougher than I thought_ ,' I mused to myself.

I was too tired to even think of anything else at the moment. I just slipped under the covers, keeping my wings folded against my back as I rolled over onto my side; I found that sleeping on my side was preferable to sleeping on my back with my wings pinned underneath me. It also helped, in case I rolled over onto my stomach... er, well... you know what I mean.

And yet, for some reason, my mind just wouldn't settle down. I felt exhausted, but also very alert. It was so strange. I guessed it to be the fight I had recently, but for some odd reason, that just didn't seem to be the case. I finally brushed it off as nerves and shut off my optics in preparation for some recharge. The first tendrils of sleep finally came up to claim me as my mind finally began to settle down.

Only for a loud siren to suddenly startle me out of my half-sleeping state.

I jolted at the sound, sitting up in bed and my wings partially flaring in response. I could see lights flashing outside the window, and I ran over, pulling open the curtains and staring in shock at the commotion outside. People were running and some were even screaming as they ran for the designated shelters marked with the appropriate symbols. A few Huntsmen were already running away from the panicking crowds, and I heard the howling of the Beowolfs over the screaming and wailing sirens. One of the perks to being a Gundam now, I mused briefly. I grabbed my cloak and quickly flung it on before running out and down into the street, joining the fray.

One of the Huntsmen was guiding a panicked family of four into the nearest shelter, which wasn't much of a shelter, really; just an old bomb shelter that could hold up to fifteen hundred people at most. There were a few other such shelters, but none of them were fortified like this one. I brushed it aside and looked at him as he eyed me. "You a Huntsman?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes."

He nodded once. "Good. We need someone to cover the eastern part of town. Heard there was a Grimm pack coming this way. Beowolves, I think."

I felt a chill race down my back struts. Beowolves I had only heard of, never fought before. I gulped nervously and nodded. "On my way!" I turned and ran for it, leaping up with a small pulse from my thrusters onto a rooftop. I made my way via the roofs to the designated spot, which was marked by a cluster of police cars and officers guiding people into a cave, of all places, for shelter. I snorted to myself. These townsfolk really needed up-to-date shelter protocols.

I took up a position close to the group, gripping my beam magnum in my hands and scanning around me with my radar for any sign of the Beowolves.

The Huntsmen and Huntresses in the area continued to usher the civilians into the cave, only to halt as a loud howl echoed across the town. My gaze shot to look in the direction of the howl, and I swore my wings began to twitch a little. My radar started to ping inside my head, and I noticed a large number of black and red dots beginning to swarm onto the radar map. I gulped and hefted my magnum as I crouched, eyeing them with wariness and anxiety making my reactor hum louder. I shivered a bit, trying to keep calm. It wouldn't do any good to panic, I recalled, as Grimm tended to react to negative emotions.

What I did not expect was to also see a group of Boarbatusks in the area as well. My reactor seemed to leap into my throat at that point and I gulped audibly. I had never even faced this kind before, but I had faced down Creeps before. And those were some of the weirdest Grimm I had ever encountered. But the most problematic were the Boarbatusks, mostly due to their sheer defensive properties, which was their very thick bone armor. I gripped my magnum and shifted, laying flat on my chest and lining up the sight.

I fired.

The beam lanced out with a distinct sound that would soon become my calling card, and it raced right for the closest Boarbatusk. The Grimm was struck on its left flank and it went down, or rather its leg only buckled. I pulled the trigger a second time and a second shot hit it. The Boarbatusk squealed as it collapsed to its side, and then another one charged in my direction, along with a few Beowolves. I gasped and scrambled to my feet, bringing my gun across my chest and igniting the beam bayonet. The small blue beam lanced out as I swung, gashing the closest Beowolf across the chest and delivering a punch with my free hand. My fist went through its skull and then I pulled my hand out as it started to disintegrate into thick black smoke.

The remaining three Beowolves started to attack me, forcing me to back up from the roof and I had no idea until my foot hit nothing but air. I found myself losing my balance and I flexed my wings out from under my cloak in an attempt to keep myself from tumbling to the ground below. But it wasn't enough. I lost my balance and I slipped off the edge. But I wasn't going to let myself be caught with my guard down. I twisted my frame around so I performed a backflip and landed on my feet, leaving a small imprint in the dirt behind the house I had taken position on top of. I heard the Boarbatusk coming at me from behind, and I leapt off the ground, the Grimm charging beneath me. I smirked mentally as I placed my gun on my lower back. My hands lashed out and grabbed onto the back of the beast.

The Grimm squealed and cried out as it tried to dislodge me, but I securely fastened my legs to the sides and clung on like a cowboy riding a bull. I gripped it tightly, feeling the bone plating flexing beneath my mechanical hands. I dug my metal fingers into the gaps between the plates. "Oh, no you don't!" I muttered. I had to admit, this was the first time anyone had thought of this.

To be honest, I didn't think that any other Huntsmen or Huntresses had even considered _riding_ a Grimm into battle like a horse before. I made sure to keep a firm grip on the Boarbatusk as it squealed and tried to dislodge me. But I made sure I wasn't going anywhere. I shifted my position and proceeded to jab the sides of my feet into its flanks and it reared up like a horse. "Hah!"

That did the trick. The beast turned as I kept a firm grip on its bone plate armor. My optics flashed a bit as I gave a cry and jabbed both feet into its flanks again. "Hyah!" The Boarbatusk cried out as it reared up for a second time and it began to charge into the fray, its tusks acting like a battering ram for clearing out the Beowolves. Many of them were also stomped on by its feet and I grimaced mentally at the implications. I hated just crushing stuff, but in this case it was inevitable if they couldn't get out of the way in time. And it turned out they didn't because they were too shocked at the tactic I was using.

I waited a bit before I sprang off the creature's back and landed, not even wasting any time as I aimed my right arm and, with a single thought, swung my Beam Burst gun into position.

The gun itself was actually rather sleek, and unlike what I had feared, it didn't cover my hand. That was an immense relief for me as it meant I had both hands free for defense instead of just one free hand. I aimed at the closest Beowolf and willed it to fire. The blast that lanced out was similar to fire, but in reality was just plasma laced with fire Dust. The combination was actually more powerful than just standard plasma or fire Dust, and that also gave the blast its signature red color. I had no idea that Dr. Vist had even installed such a weapon, or even managed to make the Dust supply last very long. Truth be told though, I was grateful for the weapon, (and still am) as it had saved my life many times since.

The beam split off into a spread of sorts, striking the Beowolves and scorching them into ashes. I proceeded to pivot, turning and keeping my gun firing. The Beowolves were still coming though, and the Boarbatusk I had ridden into battle was now coming at me as well. I shifted and cut the blast from my Beam Burst gun and stored it back against my right arm. I lashed out in a pair of punches, one a right cross and the other an uppercut, and sent a Beowolf flying into the trees. I tensed my frame, and within mere seconds the Boarbatusk was bearing down on me. From what I had learned in the Huntsman Program back at Laplace Community College, a Boarbatusk's weakness was its unarmored underside.

I dropped to the ground, sprawling on my chest and rolled so I was flat on my back beneath the beast. At the same time, my hand flew for my shield and I grasped the hilt of my Hyper Beam Sword, pulling it out and jabbing the blade into the underside of the Grimm. A loud squeal of pain and agony nearly blew out my audios, but I quickly muted the sound and shoved the beast off the ground, pulling my sword free in a swift movement. I returned my audios' sensitivity back to normal levels and turned to look at the Beowolves as they started to circle me.

I flared my optics before I charged into the fray, the beam edges of my sword igniting to add to its deadly cutting abilities. I cried out as I slashed, and then I let loose on them. I started to lose track of time, and my mind became focused on one thing only: defending this town. I had no idea as to what was happening to me, but it felt like my armor was shifting and changing, exposing certain segments of my frame to the night air. I was too focused on the fighting though, and it was only after the battle ended that I actually discovered what had happened to my frame. But at the moment, I couldn't focus on anything else. I kept going after the Grimm, slaying many. I lost count of the number I killed, and several parts of my frame were starting to flash on a display on my HUD. I ignored it and shut down the damage assessment program. I could worry about that later.

The last Grimm fell to my sword just an hour later.

When I finally regained some sense of awareness, I was surprised to see how many Grimm I had slain. There were over five hundred dissipating bodies, but only two hundred were by my hand alone. The others were done by several Huntsmen who had joined the fray. I slowly stood up, taking care to sheath my sword before I did an examination of myself. It was standard procedure for me to conduct a self examination to see just how much damage I had sustained. Mostly it was minor stuff like scrapes and nicks that could easily be fixed with some self-welding. Thankfully no real major damage had been done, but my cloak was ripped in a few places, so that meant I had to sew those tears shut.

That was also when I saw the greenish-white light emitting from my frame. Confused, I looked down and inspected my arms, noticing at once that my armor had split outwards to expose glowing green-white components. I wondered if it was simply a light show, but then I paused. There was no way it was just a light show. I could feel something else surging through me, like... some kind of power. I had no idea as to what it was, but whatever it was, it had given me extra strength and agility. Sort of like a limiter had been removed.

I slowly glanced down at a puddle near my feet, and I gaped in shock at what I saw.

Rather than a shorter, less bulky mecha standing there, I saw a tall, proud, glowing machine with what appeared to be a muscular build. My true features were also exposed: a white faceplate with glowing violet optics and a golden V-fin adorning my helm. Even my wings and backpack unit seemed to have shifted, exposing the same glowing frame components. It seemed like my entire frame had bulked up, and actually, I hated to admit, but I looked good.

I raised a hand and stared at it for a moment, flexing it and feeling the strength coursing through me.

' _Whoa... I knew that I was strong, but this... wow!_ ' I thought in amazement. ' _Guess he was right. This whole project... it could very well be what we need to turn the tide!_ '

I was so busy staring at my hand I didn't even hear the sounds of footsteps. I perked up as a voice called out to me.

"Hey! You!" the voice shouted.

I turned to face the speaker as she came up, revealing herself to be a Huntress. She looked like she was in her mid thirties, with a scar across her face and a pair of what looked liked short daggers in her hands. She ran a hand through her brown hair and stood up straight. "Thanks for helping us out here," she said as she sheathed her daggers in her belt. "I don't know what we'd've done. That was the largest Grimm horde that's attacked this town in years."

I simply waved it off. "Just doing my job," I said.

She finally pursed her lips as she looked me up and down, and I shivered under her calculating gaze. I wondered if she was going to say anything about my appearance, and I realized I hadn't kept myself entirely hidden. I gulped nervously to myself.

"That armor's sure tough," she noted, poking my chest with a finger. "What's it made of?"

I let out a sigh through my vents as I realized she didn't know the truth. "Some kind of material from space," I said truthfully. "I actually had help because it was so hard to mold with standard equipment." (Well, that last part was a lie, but no way was I telling anyone that.)

"All right. But even so, don't get all cocky because of it. Many others have thought the same way," the woman cautioned.

I nodded. "True. But trust me. I'm nothing like the newbies." And although I was a newbie Huntsman, I knew better than to act all tough and invincible. Not like a certain man one of my teachers in high school had run into, although his name escaped me. I knew he had some relation to a wig maker, but that was it. I finally sighed and threw my cloak back around my frame. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to return to my room and get some sleep. It's been a very long day."

The woman watched as I turned and walked off, leaving behind a battlefield starting to swarm with civilians, Huntsmen, and Huntresses.

* * *

Back at the inn, I flopped back on my bed again, this time though one of my hands rested on my lower torso and I was staring at the other one. I could still feel the strength that surged through me, and I turned over my hand so I was looking at the back of it, and my arm as well. The greenish-white light of my frame made me wonder just what was really stored within my frame's workings. What was this greenish-white frame beneath my armor? Was that responsible for my increased strength and agility? And if so, did it even have a name? Was it an Aura, a Semblance, or neither?

I needed to know. But I couldn't exactly try and reach out to Dr. Vist at the moment, because I didn't know the company's phone number. I sighed as I laid my other hand across my chest, feeling the humming of my reactor beneath my chest armor. The sensation felt so natural to me after six years like this, so I didn't really pay much attention to it. At least until now. My reactor's hum was just the tiniest bit louder, but not enough to cause me any worry. If anything, it sort of was a calming feeling, and it felt a bit warm, too. A calming warmth that pulsated right in the center of my chest.

I turned my helm to look out the window, and I wasn't too surprised to see the patrols of Huntsmen and Huntresses going through the streets of the town, and some were even working on repairing the damage to the inn; not that it really mattered, as damage could always be repaired. Lives could never be replaced.

I turned over and rolled onto my side, facing away from the window and dimmed my optics while turning my audios down considerably. Now my mind was getting tired, and I let the first moments of sleep come up and claim me, pulling me into the depths of recharge.


	4. Arc 0 - Meeting

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **(** _A scene of chaos is shown at the famous Navy Pier in Chicago as creatures bearing black skin and white bone plates attack the civilians, but then a youth decides to intervene in the fight, only to get injured severely._ **)**

 **Start Period - Fullmetal Alchemist OST**

 **(** _The boy is shown in a hospital, lying on a bed as the camera pans in on the flashing light before it fades to blackness._ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **At last we're here at the half way point** **(** _A pair of violet optics flash online as the screen pans out to show a dark blue colored mecha with a pair of draconic wings on the back as he stands atop a building in a city surrounded by mountains._ **)**

 **In the heart of our endless journey** **(** _The mecha flares his wings and takes flight as he draws out a sword from his shield, charging at an imposing black Grimm with large wings and scars across its body._ **)**

 **At last, while everything still is calm (** _As the two collide a flash of light is shown to reveal a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes looking at the camera, a rapier in her left hand as she holds a Dust canister in her right._ **)**

 **Take a deep breath (** _She swings her sword, only for it to extend into a whip as it swirls with wind around it, curtesy of the wind Dust in the chamber._ **)**

 **We both have just began to grasp it (** _The wind engulfs the screen only to vanish as fire surrounds a sword, the camera panning out to show a redheaded woman with a fiery sword in her grasp._ **)**

 **But it's slipped out of our hands (** _The woman slashes with her sword as the camera follows the shockwave before it hits a wasp-like Grimm, incinerating it before the camera is engulfed in flames._ **)**

 **And we will learn from those fragile mistakes (** _The flames vanish as the camera moves up and out of them, showing a city under siege. **)**_

 **'til nothing stands in our way (** _The city defenses struggle to keep the Grimm Horde at bay, only to be aided by two more figures, one of them leaping into the air and firing a Dust-laced rocket from a rocket launcher at the closest Grimm._ **)**

 **An unbreakable bond will forever link our hearts (** _The two figures land, one of them being a man wearing a trench coat and behind him appears a buxom woman in shadow as beside him stands a woman with a hammer in one hand, her gaze locked onto the sky above them._ **)**

 **There's no spell, no hell, that will undo us (** _The camera pivots to show the two from the side and then from the front, only this time they stand beside the mecha and other two women as they stand in front of a large metallic structure._ **)**

 **We have made it here at last (** _The fortress is shown in all its glory, cybernetic organisms lurking around it and several of them aim at the camera as two sinister green optics appear behind the scene, flaring brightly._ **)**

 **In this never ending dance (** _The light envelops the camera only for it to vanish as the scene shows a woman with blonde hair and a man with a slightly darker shade of blonde hair standing in front of the mountain city, the others landing beside them._ **)**

 **And we'll live through us the period of time (** _The group lunges at the screen, weapons drawn as more Grimm attack._ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

* * *

 _Opening Files: General Reginald Skarr_

 _General Reginald Skarr is perhaps the most notorious of the Fallen that exist. As is typical of all Fallen, he was taken from his family at birth and raised among the Grimm. But in an interesting twist of Fate, he was also given a chance to work among the normal humans to further Sammael's cause by recruIting potential Fallen._

 _After Dracon's well-known attempt to save a Fallen child from being taken by Grimm, it was decided to try and recruit those kinds of children through more subtle methods rather than outright stealing the babies. Such actions were sure to attract more Hunters to the scene, whereas subtle methods would be less obvious, and therefore less likely to draw attention from Hunters the world over._

 _Skarr was sent to a military school where he showed himself to be the top of his class. He graduated with high marks and was assigned to the US Army's First Division for a few years before he was found out. He was summarily discharged and forced to wander the country, trying to beg and steal to live. As a Fallen, his powers are great, but his most devastating is his Semblance. He has been the most successful in recruiting Fallen to Sammael's side._

 _One ability that makes him a threat is his skill in sensing others through their souls, as Dracon reported Skarr being able to sniff him out despite not possessing an Aura or Semblance. Theories abound as to how it's possible and as to whether other Fallen possess the same kind of ability. But so far no data has come forth to support this theory._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Spies are any nation's attempt to gather intelligence on enemies. But sometimes they can be used to recruit new members to the cause of their enemies. These people often have connections that make them valuable assets. Such as in the military. Those who know a lot about military equipment or operations are the gravest threat in such a business," TOM remarked as he closed the Skarr file. "So ask yourself as to whom you can trust. Because sometimes people may try to manipulate you into doing or believing something they want."

* * *

The next day was even more dreary than the last.

Dark clouds covered the entire sky, and there was practically no sunlight poking through. It seemed like the whole world was cast in an eternal twilight. The mere thought made me shudder and my armor rattled against my frame.

Thankfully there was no rain, but that only seemed to add to the eerie mood of the scenery.

The fact that a slight mist was creeping in only made things seem creepier.

I left Staffordshire that morning - after discovering that my armor once again covered that glowing frame - and after I paid for my stay at the inn, wandering down the paths that snaked their way through the woods. I had to admit, this reminded me of the Darkland Sectors of America, and I was making sure to stay away from those areas. Especially as I had no real experience aside from my training and whatnot.

The path I was walking down was actually rather deserted, and no other sign of life could be detected for several hundred meters. At least from what I could sense via radar. Otherwise my vision was unable to really penetrate the thick fog. Well, maybe my infrared could, but I wasn't willing to risk mistaking a human being for a Grimm, and as it stood, there was no way to even tell if someone was a Fallen or not. I didn't even know if I _could_ detect one!

I drew my cloak closer to my frame and I shuddered.

"Man... this just gets creepier and creepier..." I muttered to myself.

Truth be told, not even the sound of my own voice was enough to calm me down. I was downright terrified, actually.

Nonetheless, I continued on, intent on getting to the next town for a bit of a break. Already I was starting to get stressed from the job. I glanced down at one of my hands and noticed it was shaking a bit. I could feel my reactor humming louder in my chest and my wings twitched beneath my cloak. Yeah. I was scared.

The only issue was that the next town was a good three days on foot. And there was no way in hell I was risking exposing myself by flying. So I was stuck walking down the deserted path, keeping an eye out for any possible Grimm that may have been lurking in the mist. I clenched my hand around my beam magnum's grip and held it across my chest, but the reassuring presence of the weapon only calmed me down somewhat. I looked left and right, trying to see if there was anything hidden inside the mists surrounding me. And it was then I heard it.

Or I thought I did.

I paused, standing absolutely still.

I slowly took another step.

And there it was again. The faint sound of a footstep on the ground, just a mere half second after mine.

Someone was following me.

I looked back, but no one was behind me. I glanced left and right, but again, no one was there. At least from what I could see. All I saw were the shadows of the trees in the mist. And my radar didn't show anything, either. I gulped nervously and continued walking.

Only to see something _run through the shadowy trees_.

That did it. I whipped my frame around and aimed my weapon, firing a shot not even a second later. The report of the gun echoed through the misty woods, and I stood there, still holding my smoking magnum. "Who's there?" I called.

Nothing responded. I took a step in the direction I had fired, keeping my weapon aimed in front of me. "Whoever's there, show yourself!" I called again.

Only the soft rustling of the trees responded in my hearing. Cautiously, I inched my way into the woods, my very frame poised for whatever was lurking in the vegetation. It could've been a Grimm for all I knew. They were very common, after all.

Except what I had seen was humanoid. Which meant only one of a few things: either a person was lost and needed help, or there was a Huntsman or Huntress about, and they were mistaking me for a Grimm. Then again, with my cloak, I _did_ look rather imposing. That also left one other possibility.

There was a Fallen about.

That got me on edge. If there _was_ a Fallen lurking here, I had to get out and fast. I had no idea what kind of abilities Fallen had, and it made me worried for my own survival. My dad's words rang through my processor and I started to back up, intent on getting on the path and then beating it back to Staffordshire for a while until the mist faded.

But by then it was too late.

The next thing I knew, my left foot was caught in an ice patch, and I shot a glance down to see that not just my foot, but my whole left leg from the knee down was encased in ice. I glanced up, and I swore my reactor ceased humming altogether as a shadowy shape - the same one I had seen - came out of the mist, holding a rifle across its chest, the shimmering of an ice Dust magazine barely visible. The shape drew closer, aiming the gun again, this time at my chest. The mist began to part from around the figure as it finally stopped, just meters away from me.

Now I could see what it was, and I got a sinking sensation right where my stomach would've been had I remained human.

It was a man. But not any man. His veins were black and purple, and the marks were clear. I had only heard of them briefly, but it was enough to send a shudder racing down my back struts. The man's single eye flashed red, and his other eye was just blank with a scar on it. In his hands he held a Dust rifle, its ice Dust magazine shimmering. His uniform was kind of old school, but it was still a military uniform.

This man was a _Fallen_.

"So... you dare to step into the domain of General Reginald Skarr?" he asked, keeping his rifle trained on me.

I remained silent, instead trying to figure a way out of this. My mind raced as I tried to think of something. ' _Dammit! There was no mention of a Fallen here!_ ' I thought. ' _I'm not even supposed to fight them!_ '

The man merely narrowed his gaze as he kept his rifle aimed at where my reactor was. "You are going to answer me!" he barked, sending a shiver down my back struts. A sense of foreboding seemed to ooze from him, and I tried to brace myself against it, but the downside to being in this frame was that I lacked an Aura and Semblance, which could've come in handy. All I really had was just my training and arsenal, along with that strange glowing... frame... or whatever it was... beneath my armor plating.

I felt Skarr's presence dominating the battlefield, and his will started to impose itself on me, and I found myself having to struggle to keep myself from kneeling to his dominion. I shuddered as I collapsed to one knee, trying to at least keep myself from bowing. I raised both hands to my head, although they were shaking, and grasped it, trying to force his will from my mind.

"Yes... bow to me... and tell me why you dare to trespass in my domain," Skarr purred.

I could feel his presence intruding on my thoughts, trying to direct them into submission. But if there was one thing in my favor, it was that I was far too stubborn to yield to someone like him. During my training at Laplace Community College, one of the instructors had been a harsh trainer, electing to use her Aura to impose her will on her students and make them write a paper if they failed her courses. It almost never happened, because most people were too exhausted to even protest by the time they were finished. I had been one of the exceptions, having accidentally mouthed off to her and she tried to do the exact same thing that Skarr was doing to me now. And that was the last straw for me.

See, I'm an idealist. I believe in right from wrong, and what she was doing to me was wrong. I believe in free will, and therefore her attempts to break it were what drove me to attack, and she was surprised I had broken free from her commands. To be honest, she was actually impressed by my efforts and I earned a passing grade for her course, along with the statement saying that the only way to truly make a mark was to show how strong one's resolve was. And my resolve had been the strongest of any student.

I was the only trainee to get an "A+" in her course.

I grunted as he finally forced me to kneel all the way, but I refused to lower my head or hands. I felt something shifting and sliding, but it was all too fleeting as I was focused more on the mental battle at hand.

"Trying to resist will only make things worse..." Skarr sneered. "So give it up. You know you want to..."

And, as sad as it seemed, he was right. I _knew_ I wanted to, but there was no way I was _going_ to.

Not ever.

Not as long as I lived.

And certainly not to a Fallen like this one.

"Now... tell me why you came here!" Skarr barked, his voice carrying a tone of authority that implied total control.

"I...am...not...going...to!" I managed to rasp out. "You... You think... you're so..."

My words were cut off as he stepped closer, his eye flashing red in his anger. "You will tell me... right now!" he snarled.

I managed to raise my head, and in return, I flared my optics brightly. "No... way... bitch!" I sneered.

Skarr pressed his gun into my chest. "You will-"

My hand lashed out in a punch and nailed him in the stomach, his purple Aura flaring into existence. I felt his presence retreat as his Semblance deactivated, and I got up, finally noticing that my armor was open again, exposing the glowing greenish-white frame again. I glanced down at one of my hands, flexing it. ' _What...? How did I do that?_ ' I wondered briefly.

My awe was cut short as my radar blared inside my head and I reacted by bringing my shield in front of my chest as the Fallen fired an explosive Dust round right for me. My I-Field kicked in and I was blown back, the shockwave shattering the ice trapping me and sending me flying. I landed on my back, my wings spreading out to either side as I impacted the ground. I grunted as I sat up, noticing that Skarr was now on the move.

"Dammit...!" I muttered. "I just _had_ to get roped into fighting a Fallen!"

I scrambled to my feet, my optics glowing in the dim light of the mist that surrounded us. I hefted my beam magnum, and I kept my wings spread in case I needed to get airborne. I looked left and right, and my gaze landed on him as he moved to flank me from the right. I reacted by aiming my gun and firing a single shot right for him. Skarr's Aura flared again, taking the shot and I rolled to the right as he fired a round right for me. I got into a kneeling position and fired a second shot, this time forcing him to take shelter behind a downed tree. I sprawled out on the ground, using my cloak to conceal my glowing psychoframe - I had nothing else to call it at the moment - from his keen vision, if he had any, that is.

The Fallen started to circle around again, searching for me. "You think you can hide from me?" he asked. "I can sense your presence..."

I snorted to myself. There was no way he could sense me... could he? There was so much people didn't know about the Fallen...

A sudden blast of ice Dust near me prompted me to scramble to my feet and run for it, Skarr giving chase. My mind was now reeling as I realized he had somehow picked me out. Was it because of my psychoframe? Or was it because he could, as he said, sense my presence? If so, then I needed to find a way to mask my signature. But if I lacked an Aura or Semblance, how had he picked me out because of my presence?

These questions whirled through my processor, and none of them had valid or reasonable answers. But if anything, I knew I needed to somehow get the jump on him. His Aura was strong, and his Semblance was even worse. I needed to find a way to take him down. But as it stood... how could I? I was still new to this whole thing, and I had never even encountered a Fallen until now.

My thoughts were brought back to reality as the man suddenly appeared in front of me, and I skidded to a stop, bringing up my shield in the nick of time as he fired another explosive Dust round right for me. The round struck my shield, but thankfully I had the thought to actually brace myself this time. I only skidded back a few meters as a result. Skarr's face morphed into a scowl. I slowly lowered my shield, only enough for me to peek over the top of it. His eye flashed red in his anger as he started to walk towards me again.

I stood my ground as he raised a hand, and his Aura flared. I ducked behind my shield again as that sense of imposing will snaked out and over me. Much to my surprise, I found that it wasn't as potent as it had been before. Was it because I wasn't looking at him, or was it because of my psychoframe? (I later learned on that it was because of both aspects. I just didn't know it at the time.) I decided to ignore it and focus on the fight. I shot a glance at my radar, and noticed he had stopped in front of me. But I was now at a disadvantage. I couldn't lower my shield, because then if I made eye - err, optic - contact with him, I was sure he'd try to impose his will on me again.

So I had to rely on another means of attack.

And I had only one option.

Well, two, really, but I wasn't sure if I could even control them properly.

Still, I had to do something, or else he would just attack me and force me to his will.

Slowly, I spread my wings and focused my will on the fin funnels attached to them. I remembered that Dr. Vist told me they were connected to my processor via wireless receivers, and each one had small engines and a miniature generator built into it for maneuvering and power. And since they were connected to my frame, the generators could be recharged from my reactor core. And these things were capable of firing beams and generating what could only be described as a beam shield. I dimmed my optics as I bowed my head a bit. The only thing was that to launch them, I needed to focus quite a bit.

I felt one of them detach, followed by another, then another. All eight slowly removed themselves from my wings and started to hover close to me. I looked up and glanced left and right. They were hovering close to me behind my shield. I smirked to myself in my thoughts as I sent them out, having them hover around through the trees to avoid Skarr seeing them. A few times they wavered and one went off course, but I managed to get them back in formation. I directed them to take up positions in the trees as Skarr sneered.

"Think you can withstand my Semblance much longer?" he asked.

I responded by firing a beam shot at point blank range from my magnum.

Skarr hissed as his Semblance retreated, and he lunged for me, his rifle shifting into what could only be described as a bastard broadsword. I blocked his slash with my shield as I lowered it enough to peek over the top. "I'm not hoping to!" I hissed. "I just need to buy some time!" I swung my magnum around, the beam bayonet lancing out and pushing against his sword, pressing it back. I saw him slide back as I brought my full strength to bear against his Aura. I slashed a second time, and then I shut down the bayonet as I switched to the rotary grenade launcher beneath it.

Skarr's eye widened as he saw me aiming the launcher. "Let's see how you can stand up to this!" I shouted, firing a grenade at him.

He dodged to the side as the charge struck the ground and exploded, sending dirt and tree leaves everywhere. I spun around as he ran, intent on trying to get behind me. But I wasn't allowing it. I sent a mental signal to one of my fin funnels, and it fired, sending a pinkish beam lancing out in his direction. The beam struck close to his foot, and he skidded to a stop as I directed my other funnels to lock onto his position. I made sure to keep a firm gaze on him, because right now I needed to actually keep a lock on the target with my vision.

Skarr ducked a few beams and rolled to dodge one more, but two hit him in the back and one grazed his face. The last one hit his arm and he looked back at me, his Aura now slightly weaker. "That's actually rather clever of you... using remote weapons like that," he growled. "But not clever enough!"

My optics flashed in shock as he swung his sword, unleashing a gust of wind with it right for me. On instinct - and out of desperation, really - I flared my thruster pack and boosted into the air, flying to the left to avoid getting nailed by the gust of wind, which actually resembled more of a shockwave than an actual breeze. I landed not too far from where I had been, my reactor racing in my chest as I panted a bit in shock. "Dammit... That was way too close..." I muttered.

I looked back, only to see Skarr was gone.

I felt a sense of dread welling up in my chest and I gulped nervously. I cast my gaze around, holding my gun at the ready. I called my funnels back to me, and they reattached to my wings. What I did not expect next was to see Skarr lunge out of the trees, his broadsword flashing as he tried to cut my head off. I panicked and ducked the blow, my fist lashing out and connecting with the blade, knocking his aim off and I spun around, kicking out in a roundhouse to knock him off balance even more. I folded my wings close to my back and landed a ways away as Skarr regained his balance and looked at me, his eye flashing red.

"Consider yourself lucky for now, I have more important business to attend to," he said, sheathing his weapon. "But next time we fight... it won't end in your victory..."

I perked up at that. "Wait! Where do you think you're going!?" I cried, attempting to stop him.

But he just turned and vanished into the mist, his footsteps retreating and I ran after, intent on trying to get answers.

Yet when I burst into the clearing just ahead of me, he was gone. I expanded my radar to its full range and even tuned my sensors to their highest sensitivity, including my audios. I stood absolutely still, taking in the data fed back to me. But all of it said one thing.

He was gone.

There was no trace of him anywhere.

I felt a huge surge of relief rush through my frame at that point. I actually wound up collapsing onto the ground, on my hands and knees, staring at the dirt beneath me. I was panting heavily, and the sheer, profound relief at having survived overcame me. My head felt light, and I swore I was dizzy. My reactor was humming loudly in my audios and I could feel my chest armor vibrating from its humming. I slowly looked at my hands and raised one of them, studying it before clenching it and burying my face in it. A laugh escaped my vocalizer and I actually broke down, not out of grief or terror, but out of relief for having survived against a Fallen, even if it was a fluke.

I slumped back on my knees, grasping my arms and rubbing them, just savoring the fact that I was even alive. Most Fallen never left any humans alive, least of all Huntsmen and Huntresses.

I was lucky, I figured. My first encounter with a Fallen, and I had lived.

I finally got to my feet and continued on, making my way back to the path, only to stop as I realized that none of the trees looked familiar to me. I looked at them, trying to figure out where I was. As I gazed at my surroundings, it began to dawn on me that I wasn't anywhere _near_ the path. I was too far from it, so I had no idea where it was. In fact...

I was lost.

Grumbling to myself, I made my way back to the battle site, knowing that until the mist cleared I was stuck there. So I decided to set up camp there for the evening. I proceeded to gather some firewood from several tree branches that were knocked down during the scuffle. Once I had enough, I set it down and carved a small pit in the dirt. After gathering up a few leaves, I grabbed a slab of bark and, using a segment of my skirt armor, carved a small groove in the surface. I stuck a stick in the middle and set the leaves around it. Then I began to spin it, generating enough heat to create a fire. Now, even though I was a Gundam and had weapons that could start a fire on my person, I didn't want to risk misfiring them and setting the whole forest ablaze. (That would not look good on my record as a Huntsman.)

Once I had a small flame burning, I knelt and began to blow on it, expelling air from the dual slats on my faceplate to gently urge it on burning. The flame began to eat away at the leaves and wood, so I hurriedly assembled a makeshift teepee for the flames and very soon, in less than five minutes, I had a fire burning. Normally I would've decided to cook some food, but I didn't need to eat anymore, so I just sat there, letting the warmth of the fire seep into my frame as I inched a bit closer. The cloak did help somewhat with keeping the cold, misty air off me, but the fire made things a whole lot better.

I lay down on the dirt, my cloak acting like a makeshift blanket as I lay on my chest, gazing into the flames.

My mind was filled with all kinds of thoughts as I lay there. Most of them concerned the Grimm, but one really niggled at my processor. And it wasn't leaving me alone.

What was a Fallen doing near Staffordshire, Michigan?

It didn't make any sense. The whole time I had been there - and that wasn't very long, mind you - I had never even heard a whisper of a Fallen being in the area. Oh sure there were plenty of Grimm about, but a Fallen? That was what really made me worried. From what little I had known, and what I had experienced recently, the Fallen were much more powerful than mere humans, Faunus, or Mobians. Hell, he was even more powerful than me! And I was a friggin' _Gundam!_

Was there something in the town that warranted the presence of a Fallen? Or was it just because he happened to be in the area?

There were so many unanswered questions it started to make my processor ache. I finally got myself into a sitting position, with my knees drawn close to my chest and my arms resting on my metal kneecaps. I placed my chin on my arms and just sat there, gazing into the fire. I watched as the flames danced around, my mind trying to piece together the recent events. But, so far, nothing.

I shivered under my cloak.

' _Maybe it's best I get some sleep,_ ' I thought. ' _I can try and get some answers in the morning. It's getting late, anyway._ '

I flopped back onto the ground and rolled over so I was on my side, my wings folded flat against my back and my cloak covering me like a blanket. I shut off my optics and I finally fell into recharge.

* * *

The next day, I woke to rain pounding against my cloak. My optics flickered as my vision came online, and at once I could see it was raining.

Again.

"Dammit... This is not looking like good weather," I grumbled as I got to my feet. The rain had snuffed out the fire, so I didn't have to worry about that. I adjusted my cloak and began to walk in any random direction.

Truth be told, some part of me wanted to fly and at least get somewhat closer to the next town. But the more rational side of me - my logic circuits - said no, that it was a bad idea to even try.

And I was right.

Lightning flashed and a loud thunderclap made me jump. After that electrocution I suffered during my time training at Laplace, I wasn't so willing to risk flying in a thunderstorm like this one. Especially as lightning was about. I continued to walk, trying to bring up an image of the area around me using my radar. That was about the only useful tool I had at the moment.

I wandered through the woods, my radar scanning ahead of me. Some parts of the woods were starting to look rather familiar the more I walked, and the closer I got to wherever I was heading. I finally pushed some brush aside and my optics flashed a bit in surprise as I stared at a rather beaten path. The same one I had gotten lost trying to find. I could see my footprints in the dirt and leaves, and I followed them up until the point I left the path. But instead of heading off the path, I continued on.

Now that I was going in the right direction, I increased my pace.

I could feel the mud squishing beneath my heavy metal feet and I mentally grimaced at the squelching sound it made. (Even though I _had_ been out in such conditions during my training, it was still pretty gross.) I forced myself to ignore it though and just continued on down the path. The journey was actually rather uneventful, barring an attack from a few bear-like Grimm, but I fought them off with little to no damage. I was grateful for my frame at this point, because any other Huntsmen or Huntress would have gotten very sick in this weather. My sensors detected a drop in the temperature and I shivered on instinct; it was getting colder. I drew my cloak closer to my frame, right up to where it was covering me entirely.

By the time I stopped for the evening, I had been on the move for a full eight hours. Even though I still could continue on, I chose not to, preferring to regain some of my strength. And yet, that was put on hold as I perked up, hearing the cries of a woman. I turned in that direction, and at once my radar blared an alert in my head. I expanded its range, and I felt my reactor stop in horror.

There were Grimm attacking.

Ursa Grimm.

And not just one or two. There were fifty.

I ignored all protests from my logic circuits as I ignited my thruster pack and spread my wings, my psychoframe becoming visible as I threw my cloak aside and took to the air. If anything, this was not going to be an easy fight, I knew from prior experience in my Huntsman Academy days. I flew as fast as I could through the thick rain, my optics straining to penetrate the darkness.

' _C'mon... where is she?!_ ' I thought desperately.

My radar finally displayed the location of the woman in question, only for me to see that she was not as helpless as she seemed. She was actually a Huntress, if the rapier she wielded was any indication. She thrust it towards one of the Ursa Minor, hitting it in the head and causing it to fall dead, the body already vanishing in wisps of black smoke. She whirled around, her dark brown hair flying out as she punched another one before cutting it in two. Had they been able to, my optics would've widened in mild surprise.

What prompted me to act though was the sudden reappearance of Skarr.

Or rather his shadowy shape on the sidelines. I spotted his rifle as he took aim at the woman, and I dove down, my shield arm coming up as I got in front and took the shot. The explosive round struck the I-Field, and the sound prompted her to look over, her blue eyes wide. I didn't even waste a second as I swung my shield to the side, my Beam Burst gun swinging into position and firing. I let the burst go right for where Skarr was lurking, and in a moment he was on the move, getting out of the way and disappearing into the rainy evening.

The woman suddenly thrust her rapier at me, and I yelped as I dodged it, only to see her impale an Ursa Major in the chest. She pulled her sword out and spun the Dust chamber as the weapon suddenly extended into a whip crackling with lightning Dust. "You gotta be careful!" she said. "These Grimm aren't as easy as the others!"

"Duh! I know that!" I shot back as I prepped my magnum and stored my Beam Burst gun back against my arm. I aimed at one of the Ursa and fired. "Think this is my first time facing them?"

"The way you didn't see that one coming from behind says so," she retorted.

I snorted a bit, but ignored the retort as I fired a few more shots, her using her whip to cut into a few more of the Grimm.

"By the way, I could've handled myself!" the woman said abruptly.

I shot a glance back at her as I fired a shot right at an Ursa Major, striking it in the leg before I jabbed my beam bayonet into its torso. "You think I'm here to rescue you?!" I blurted, only to pull back as an Ursa Minor nearly backhanded me with its paw. I yanked my magnum's beam bayonet out and with a jab, I struck it in the shoulder and cut. "I'm here to _help_ , not rescue!"

The woman's eyes narrowed. "Yeah? I can still handle myself, thank you very much!"

I mentally gritted my teeth and lunged, suddenly tackling her to the ground as an Ursa Major tried to bite her in the leg. She and I both went rolling, only to come to a stop mere feet from where Skarr had stood. I was on my feet in a flash, my reactor whirring loudly in my audios as I aimed my beam magnum at the remaining Ursa Grimm and fired the last shots in the energy clip before I ejected it and slammed a new one home. The woman scrambled to her own feet, swinging her rapier/whip around to cut a Grimm in half.

The two of us kept up the fight until the last of the Grimm vanished into smoke.

I finally stood up straight and sheathed my Hyper Beam Sword, which I had switched to in order to save the energy cells for my gun. The woman turned to look at me and snorted. "Well, I guess I can thank you for your help," she admitted. "At least we cleared the Grimm out faster."

I nodded. "I will admit to that," I said.

She turned and prepared to leave, but my hand lashed out before I even realized what I was doing. As soon as my hand was on her shoulder, she whirled around. "Now what?!" she cried.

I pulled my hand back and raised both hands. "Whoa! Just settle down!" I blurted. "I'm sorry!"

She growled and sighed. She muttered under her breath as she rubbed her face with a hand. "I can't believe this... Getting stuck with some newbie Huntsman in some ridiculous getup of armor!"

My wings flared on instinct, something that happened quite often when my anger got the better of me. "Hey! I may be new to this, but I am _not_ stupid!" I snapped, glaring at her. " _You_ try stopping a bunch of Grimm with nothing but your bare fists and a whole lot of debris from destroyed rides and shops at Navy Pier!"

Now _that_ threw her for a loop. "Wait... You were there?" she asked, her eyes wide.

I nodded. "I was. And there were no Huntsmen or Huntresses in the area. At least until fifteen minutes later," I replied. "I was the only one who dared to take a stand, and that was without any basic training. Least of all an Aura or Semblance."

"I'm surprised anyone survived that," the Huntress admitted. "So... what's with the armor?"

I paused, hesitant to reveal the project or what I truly was, so I decided to compromise for a half-truth. "Actually, this armor is kind of like a life support system for me. I was badly injured, but didn't want to be bedridden for the rest of my life. So they hooked me up to a portable life support system and installed it in this armor. The bad news is that I can never take it off since this is all that's keeping me from dropping dead," I explained, trying to offer a realistic scenario. And actually, a lot of people did get new limbs or whatnot to assist in the fight against the Grimm, so it kind of did make sense, even if it was a bit farfetched at the time.

The woman pursed her lips as she looked me up and down, finally folding her arms. "I see. Well, that makes sense then. But this is the first time I've heard of a full suit of armor being used like that," she remarked.

"It's a new prototype, so..." I rubbed the back of my helmet sheepishly, and she nodded.

"All right. So that explains it then." She turned and looked back at me. "So, you going my way?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm heading towards the next town. You?"

She smirked. "Where else? C'mon. There's bound to be more Grimm showing up if we linger too long."

I gulped at that and ran after as she began running down the path.

As we walked, she and I chatted a little to pass the time. I learned her name was Tina Hendricks and that she was from the same area where I had grown up. She apparently had become a Huntress to avenge her brother who had died at the hands of a Fallen, and she was intent on killing that Fallen before going back home to spend time with her family and surviving siblings. In return, I told her my own name and about my family and best friends, as well as my own reasons for becoming a Huntsman, which was to see what exactly made Fallen possible.

We finally reached the town, which was a small community named Hardon, actually just a bit smaller than Staffordshire, and we checked into the local motel, which wasn't too well kept, but it kind of had that rustic feel to it. (The only issues I had with the place were the cockroaches and the spiders.)

That evening was a nice quiet one. I stayed back at the room to check over my weapons while Tina went to get some food for herself; I had also told her that my "armor" kept me nourished through implanted tubes. In reality, I felt kind of bad about lying to her, but then again, there wasn't anyone I could really trust, aside from my best friends and family, with the truth about my actual condition. And in fact, the team I had been assigned to at Laplace Community College - Team DNJR - had found out due to sheer accident, but I still trusted them as well with this information.

She returned about fifteen minutes later with a piece of pizza in her hands and a small salad. She made her way over to the rickety table and sat down.

I had to admit I missed eating. But then again, there wasn't any way for me to even be able to in this frame. So I had to just deal with it. As she ate, she glanced back at me and I averted my gaze. I had other things to worry about anyway.

I started to fiddle with my gun, checking the energy cell magazines. I grasped one of the empty mags and placed it on the bed beside me. At least these could be recharged somehow. The trouble was it required a special kind of Dust, and that Dust wasn't really sold to the public. I guess it was because it was only available to the military. The Dust in question was a cyan blue color, and as such it didn't have any elemental properties, but it did provide a lot of power. The energy mags it turned out needed this kind of Dust in order to generate the beams for my gun, although I didn't even really need to worry about my fin funnels or Dracon fangs, since those drew on the power from my reactor in order to function, or had their own generators.

"Joseph?"

I looked up from my work and locked my optics with her eyes. "Yeah?"

"How long do you plan on being on the move for?" she asked in between bites of her salad.

I shrugged. "For as long as needed. I'm not one to really stick in one place for too long."

"Why? Trying to avoid someone?" Tina joked. She grinned as she said this and I felt my reactor skip in my chest a bit. I didn't know why, but something about her just seemed to... I don't know... make me want to smile a bit.

I chuckled a little, trying to hide my nervousness. Maybe it was because I just met her and she was friendly towards me, I didn't know. "Well... not really, but since you put it that way, I guess so," I remarked.

"Such as Major Glory?" Tina giggled.

Major Glory I knew was a good hero and a tough man, especially as it's been said he's slain hundreds of Grimm with just his bare hands and his powers. But he often let his ego get the better of him. And to be honest, I didn't like the guy. He was often too thickheaded, and sometimes never thought out his plans. Plus who wouldn't dislike that big chin of his? I felt a chuckle escape me, my frame vibrating a bit with my laughter. "I guess you could say that," I admitted. "Truth is, I don't really like the guy." I proceeded to start examining my shield next. "He may be a good hero, but his skills as a person leave something to be desired."

Tina shifted a bit. "Yeah. I will admit that." She took a bite of pizza. "I mean, c'mon! I may like heroes, but he's not exactly my kind of guy."

Major Glory also had a thing for... hot women. And most ladies actually liked him. But to hear that Tina didn't like him in the same sense as the other ladies was in a way a relief, because that meant she wasn't exactly drawn to him.

Had I been able to, I would've been smirking at this. "Why? His arrogance put you off?"

Tina's eyes widened a bit. "How'd you know?" she asked.

I shrugged. "Just a guess. That's what most people tend to overlook. Glory's arrogance always gets the better of him, I think."

My companion turned and grasped the remote before flicking on the battered TV set on top of the dresser. "I mean, GrimmFall is a nice place, but the heroes have got to go. Or at least tone down the theatrics," she said as the news came on.

The headlining news story, it turned out, had to do with another Grimm attack being thwarted by the defenders and residents of GrimmFall, and I snorted. "Can you change it? I don't like hearing about GrimmFall's reputation all the time."

"I'm surprised," Tina remarked dryly as she flipped through the channels. "Especially since you're from Empire City."

I rolled my violet optics at the comment. "Yeah, but I like to just ignore that when not on duty," I retorted.

She finally settled on a historical documentary that, while old, was actually very informative about the Grimm and their origins, as well as the different cycles of their rising and decline. I knew all about that already from the classes I took while at Laplace, and she did apparently as well, but we watched it anyway. Then after that was a small show on the different Huntsmen throughout history, and I found myself getting a bit sleepy. I turned to ask Tina to turn off the TV, and much to my surprise, I found her resting against my chest, her head laying on my cloaked shoulder guard.

I felt my reactor skip in its humming and I swallowed a lump forming in my throat. A strange tingling feeling raced through my psychoframe and I shuddered against my will.

I found that I didn't want to even move from that spot.

But I forced myself to move anyway. I slowly slipped a hand under her and pulled her close to my chest in a bridal style carry before I stood up.

I made my way over to the old bed and gently set her down, covering her up before I shut off the TV myself. I paused a bit before I shut the light off beside her bed. Then I made my way over to the other side of the room and slipped under the covers as well, my wings folded against my back and my cloak kind of draped over my frame. I paused a bit before I got up and removed it. I didn't want it to get torn in my sleep, after all.

Once that was done, I set aside my shield and beam magnum before I slithered back under the covers and fell into recharge.

Strangely, the last thought I had before I fell into recharge was of Tina's smiling face.

Then I fell asleep, unaware of just how much things would change in the coming future.

* * *

 **Name: General Reginald Skarr**

 **Aura: Bright purple**

 **Semblance: Domineer**

 **Description: Able to subdue and dominate the will of his opponents. Only those with stronger wills - or in Dracon's case, his psychoframe - can resist. Also has to maintain eye contact for it to work**

 **Species: Human/Fallen**

 **Weapon: an assault rifle that can turn into a bastard broadsword**


	5. Arc 0 - Secrets

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **(** _A scene of chaos is shown at the famous Navy Pier in Chicago as creatures bearing black skin and white bone plates attack the civilians, but then a youth decides to intervene in the fight, only to get injured severely._ **)**

 **Start Period - Fullmetal Alchemist OST**

 **(** _The boy is shown in a hospital, lying on a bed as the camera pans in on the flashing light before it fades to blackness._ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **At last we're here at the half way point** **(** _A pair of violet optics flash online as the screen pans out to show a dark blue colored mecha with a pair of draconic wings on the back as he stands atop a building in a city surrounded by mountains._ **)**

 **In the heart of our endless journey** **(** _The mecha flares his wings and takes flight as he draws out a sword from his shield, charging at an imposing black Grimm with large wings and scars across its body._ **)**

 **At last, while everything still is calm (** _As the two collide a flash of light is shown to reveal a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes looking at the camera, a rapier in her left hand as she holds a Dust canister in her right._ **)**

 **Take a deep breath (** _She swings her sword, only for it to extend into a whip as it swirls with wind around it, curtesy of the wind Dust in the chamber._ **)**

 **We both have just began to grasp it (** _The wind engulfs the screen only to vanish as fire surrounds a sword, the camera panning out to show a redheaded woman with a fiery sword in her grasp._ **)**

 **But it's slipped out of our hands (** _The woman slashes with her sword as the camera follows the shockwave before it hits a wasp-like Grimm, incinerating it before the camera is engulfed in flames._ **)**

 **And we will learn from those fragile mistakes (** _The flames vanish as the camera moves up and out of them, showing a city under siege. **)**_

 **'til nothing stands in our way (** _The city defenses struggle to keep the Grimm Horde at bay, only to be aided by two more figures, one of them leaping into the air and firing a Dust-laced rocket from a rocket launcher at the closest Grimm._ **)**

 **An unbreakable bond will forever link our hearts (** _The two figures land, one of them being a man wearing a trench coat and behind him appears a buxom woman in shadow as beside him stands a woman with a hammer in one hand, her gaze locked onto the sky above them._ **)**

 **There's no spell, no hell, that will undo us (** _The camera pivots to show the two from the side and then from the front, only this time they stand beside the mecha and other two women as they stand in front of a large metallic structure._ **)**

 **We have made it here at last (** _The fortress is shown in all its glory, cybernetic organisms lurking around it and several of them aim at the camera as two sinister green optics appear behind the scene, flaring brightly._ **)**

 **In this never ending dance (** _The light envelops the camera only for it to vanish as the scene shows a woman with blonde hair and a man with a slightly darker shade of blonde hair standing in front of the mountain city, the others landing beside them._ **)**

 **And we'll live through us the period of time (** _The group lunges at the screen, weapons drawn as more Grimm attack._ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Denver, Colorado_

 _Located within the Rocky Mountains of the United States, Denver is the state capital of Colorado. The city was initially founded during the expansion into the western United States in the year 1858 by a group of prospectors who were seeking both gold and Dust, and it was actually named Montana City at first. But of course, as with every mining town, the site faded in favor of newer and better ones. The man who initially started the town took to naming it Denver City, after the Governor of the territory at the time, James Denver, in hopes of making it the center of the county administration._

 _The city's location was key and critical in its development, and with the passage of time the city grew and as it grew, so too did all kinds of opportunities. The city's growth was threatened by the railroad and hordes of Grimm when the transcontinental railroad was being built, but the citizens took the intiative and made plans to hold off the Grimm long enough for workers to build a railroad from the city to the transcontinental railroad itself. The overwhelming abundance of Dust helped them to achieve this task. By the time the city was linked to the rest of the nation by rail, the Grimm Hordes had started to attack the outer limits, often forcing people to retreat beyond the borders to keep safe._

 _The most notorious attack is also what sealed Denver's fate as what could be considered the GrimmFall of the Mountains._

 _In the year 1892, a massive group of Grimm swarmed out of the Darklands, just miles from the most western part of the city. The horde, numbering over five hundred thousand, laid siege to the city for forty weeks, causing untold loss of life and destruction of property. The loss of so much life caused the city's future to be in jeopardy, as many people were not willing to settle in an area where there were hordes of Grimm. But the city's populace refused to back down, instead taking up the cause of avenging their loved ones and family members who died in the Siege of Denver. This led to a surprising twist of fate when someone uncovered a huge repository of Dust in an abandoned gold mine. This led to a huge rebound in the Dust mining industry, which had by the late 1880s started to decline._

 _The Siege of Denver also taught people to not build with flimsy wooden structures, which was what the majority of Denver's buildings had been built with. Many took to mining stone, some chose metal, and others elected to build underground. This led to a huge underground shelter system being developed for those who chose to use simple wood structures instead of sturdy stone or metal._

 _By the time the twentieth century came around, the city had started to innovate and take up researching Dust and its properties to try and develop new city defenses. When the Hunter classification system was developed during the resurgence of the Huntsmen, the mayor established a Hunter academy close to the city limits, but further south so as to keep the students from being attacked by Grimm. Denver's innovations with Dust have led to the development of laser cannon and barriers that keep the Grimm at bay, including Dust dazzlers that use yellow Dust to dazzle and stun Grimm from afar. The city has even sold some of its systems and equipment to other cities, including Townsville and Empire City._

 _Of course, the location of the Darklands close by made living in Denver difficult, but those who lived there their entire lives say the city's vast Dust deposits and the innovative streak of its citizens more than makes up for it._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Many people say home is where the heart is. But what is a home? That is a question that has been debated and asked repeatedly. But no one has had a correct answer. Truthfully, there are many answers to this question. But in my opinion? A home is where those you love are. A house is only a building. It's the people inside the house that make it a home," TOM said as he leaned back in his seat, closing the Denver file as he did so. "So next time someone asks you what make a house a home, just say what you feel makes it a home. There is no wrong answer, like there is no right answer. It's what you feel that matters."

* * *

The first thing I registered as my systems came online was the sound of a shower running. I slowly brought my optics online and the images of the motel room flickered into view. I raised a hand to my helmet and brushed the covers aside; somehow I wound up sleeping on my back, the covers over my face.

I sat up and threw the covers off as I got up, flaring my wings and working the kinks out of my servos and joints. I heard the faint popping and I felt a whole lot better once I had finished my stretching.

I glanced around the room and made my way over to the window, pulling aside the ratty curtains to expose the dreary sky outside. It wasn't raining at the moment, but that did little to ease the creepiness of the day outside. The clouds covering the sun only added to the eeriness and I shuddered against my will. My optics dimmed a bit as I scanned the woods close to the town, and I perked up as I spotted a familiar shape that disappeared into the tree line.

A blue uniform and a blind eye with a scar underneath it was all the evidence I needed. I slowly backed away and closed the curtains as the door creaked open and Tina came out dressed in a simple T-shirt and cargo pants with combat boots on her feet. Her short hair was slightly spiky from having it towel dried, and for some reason I thought it suited her. She made her way over to where her coat lay draped across a chair and her rapier rested against the wall. She looked over in my direction. "Something wrong, Joseph?" she asked.

I perked up at her voice and turned to face her. "No. Nothing's wrong," I said, trying to put her at ease. "And for the record, I prefer to be called Seph, not Joseph," I added.

She nodded. "True, but there's another man with that name already," she remarked.

Had I been able to, I would've cocked an eyebrow. So instead, I inclined my head to the side a bit. "Oh?"

Tina hummed in the affirmative as she slipped her coat on. "That's right. So if you don't like being called Joseph, we need to come up with a nickname for you."

I folded my arms. "Okay... Mind me asking what you can tell me about this other Seph?" I asked.

My companion nodded. "Not at all. And for the record, he's very mysterious. I only know a bit about him from rumors, so bear in mind it's not going to be much or that accurate."

I tapped one of my fingers against my arm. "Okay. So...?"

"First off, one of these rumors is that he can summon several wings for flight, and that he is far older than he looks," she began, holding up a finger. "No one has been able to confirm if this is really true or not, and so far no one has been able to find or track him down. It's like he's a ghost or something." She raised a second finger. "Second is that his hair is a strange green color, not of this Earth. So there are rumors going around that he's really an alien, but again, no evidence has been gathered to prove it." She held up a third finger. "And third... is that he's got strange powers. As if the wings weren't enough, some say he can heal injuries rather quickly." Tina lowered her hand and looked into my optics. "As I said, these are all rumors, so..."

I lowered my arms. "So, this guy has some kind of powers or whatever, but no one has been able to confirm because they haven't found him or seen him in action, right?" I asked.

She nodded. "Right."

I frowned to myself. From the way she had spoken of him, it seemed like he was a Huntsman of incredible power. And the fact he shared the same name as my nickname was a problem. I crossed my arms again. "Hmm..."

I did need a new nickname. But what would be a perfect nickname for me?

I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard her rustling around in the bed closest to me. I turned to face her and was surprised to see her straightening out the bed. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"What? I'm just straightening out the beds," she said. "It's not polite to leave this place a mess."

"Uh, hate to break it to you, but..." I reached behind me, feeling a skittering on one of my legs. I grasped the culprit and pulled it off the back of my leg, holding up a big cockroach. "This place already is a mess."

Tina's eyes narrowed a bit. "Trying to gross me out?" she retorted, folding her arms. "Because I've seen worse."

I flicked the bug away. "No. Just trying to make a point."

"All right. Still, it's best to at least try to straighten up," she remarked as she resumed her work. I sighed and reluctantly began to straighten up the bed I had slept in. It really didn't matter much to me, as in my opinion, the motel was a dump.

We both finished straightening up the room as best we could and then we turned and headed out, checking out after a quick breakfast at the small, but dingy diner in the motel's lobby. I felt a lot better getting out of that place, and I sighed in relief. "Man... I never thought I'd be glad to be out of that place!" I remarked.

Tina glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. "Why? As a Hunter you have to be willing to sleep anywhere," she noted.

"True, but doesn't mean I like it," I retorted. "I hate dumps like that."

She rolled her eyes and began walking. "C'mon." She grabbed my arm and I yelped as she pulled me along, dragging me until I finally started walking beside her. I was actually surprised. I had half expected her to just up and leave in the middle of the night or something. And yet here she was, right beside me still, and like we had been partners for a long time.

She glanced at me and cocked an eyebrow. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

I shook my head. "No, but... I was kind of expecting you to just leave me," I admitted. "I'm kind of surprised you're sticking around."

"So am I, to be honest," she told me. She shrugged her coat closer to her body as we paused at an intersection. "I wanted to leave, but I just couldn't. I mean... I know I should be looking for the Fallen that killed my brother, but..." She finally looked at me directly. "I feel that if I stick with you, I may be able to find his killer."

"So you're just using me then?" I asked, although it was more of a statement than a question. I also felt a bit insulted that she'd be using me like that.

But the Huntress shook her head. "No. I'm not. You said it yourself: you want to find out how Fallen are created, right? Well, if we both work together, maybe we can not only help each other, but fulfill our reasons as well."

Now _that_ got me shocked. "Hold on. You're suggesting we team up?" I blurted out.

Tina nodded. "Yeah. You help me, I help you. Okay?"

I mentally frowned at this. It just seemed a bit too good to be true. A woman who was willing to assist me in finding out how the Fallen were created, and a powerful Huntress at that, and yet I didn't even really know her as a person. I was on guard after she suggested it. I finally told her I needed to think on it for a while and she agreed, stating that it was all right if I took my time. She'd be accompanying me anyway to hear my answer when I made my decision.

So on we went. We wandered through the town until we came to a bus stop and hailed a bus to take us down to anyplace, really. Tina had a good amount of cash on her person, so we paid the driver in advance to take us to the closest place that was in danger of the Grimm. Not that many places were safe, really. The mere thought seemed like a pipe dream, to be honest. Especially since almost every city was under attack at various times. As it stood, GrimmFall was the closest thing to a safe haven from the Grimm, but its heroes were far too much for me to even want to be around. Especially that Major Glory guy.

The city that we arrived at was not that far, located within the state of Keystone. Thankfully we managed to pass the time by chatting. I asked Tina a few questions about her family, and I found out she was the daughter of a well-respected Dust researcher and had a few brothers, one of whom was killed during a mission to track down a Fallen. Her other two brothers were seven years younger than her and were Hunters-in-training, which was a bit worrisome to her parents after their eldest son - her oldest brother - died in battle. She also told me that her mother was an artist.

She asked me a few questions and I answered them as truthfully as I could, since they mostly pertained to my own past and family. I told her about my training to get used to the "armor" I was "wearing", and she was surprised at how long it had taken for me to even adapt to my condition. But I also told her it was worth it because then I was at least able to hold my own against larger numbers of Grimm. When she inquired about my most recent job, I told her everything, and she was actually impressed by how many Grimm I had slain with just my sword.

The bus finally pulled into the city limits, and we stopped talking long enough to make sure we had everything and then departed the bus.

As we left, I looked back to see the bus pulling away, and I finally realized that this was it. I was beyond the point of no return. I was finally going to start my career as a Huntsman.

* * *

The next few weeks weren't so bad, as me and Tina worked our way across the country, out from Keystone and all the way to Colorado. We encountered numerous Grimm, and we saved a lot of lives, even risking our lives in a fire to save people while a Grimm attack was in progress. At first I wasn't sure if I could even deal with this career as it was wrought with all kinds of dangers. The most notable of these dangers was of course the Fallen, and after our first week Tina asked me about it when I mentioned I had encountered one. She was stunned and rather horrified, but at the same time impressed I held my own against General Skarr. But I told her that it was just a fluke, although she assured me that if we encountered him again, this time it would be two on one. That made me feel somewhat better about my chances of victory next time.

We finally made it to Colorado where we encountered the first of the Darklands.

I knew of these areas from not just basic schooling, but also due to my training at Laplace Community College. These areas were heavily populated by Grimm, making them exceedingly dangerous for anyone who wasn't a Hunter, so only a few scattered settlements existed in the Darklands or Wildlands. Even Tina had to admit that it was a risk to even travel into such an area.

But we stopped close to Denver, which was actually very well defended due to its mountainous location. And the defenses were definitely state-of-the-art. Lasers were positioned around the city roads, and several thick metal gates acted as barricades against any of the Grimm that came out from the Darklands close by. It was actually quite dangerous to even settle in the same vicinity as one of these pockets of Grimm territory because then it would almost always be attacked due to the negative feelings in the area. But for some reason Denver's founders chose this spot to settle and establish a fortified city.

Still it was as close to a safe haven as one could get away from GrimmFall. And to be honest, it was a much better place because of the lack of heroes like Major Glory and his ilk. Only Hunters and Huntresses settled here, allowing for a formidable defense force in case the city perimeter was breached. As we made our way into the city, I spotted a few Huntsmen perched atop what could only be described as guard towers, the sentries within scanning for any sign of Grimm outside the perimeter. I had to admit it was quite a setup.

I glanced at the clock in the corner of my vision, noting the time read "11:00 AM, Greenwich Mean Time". I looked at Tina who was walking beside me. "You getting hungry yet?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Nah. It's only eleven. I can wait."

I shrugged. "Okay. Just asking."

The last thing either of us expected was to see a man running down the street, being chased by a couple of teenagers who looked like they were Hunters-in-training, if the weapons were of any indication. But this man was clearly much more experienced as he was able to evade the single girl who leapt out of hiding, her Semblance - sticky gunk balls - missing him by a wide margin.

Tina glanced at me and I rubbed my face with one metal hand. "Well, someone has to do _something_..." I muttered.

A few of the other Hunters though were already in motion, the first one landing in front of the man with the Dust in his hands. He glanced back, shock on his face and the Hunter in front held out his hand. "Okay, Travis. Hand it over."

The man grunted, but seeing as he was outnumbered, he reluctantly handed over the Dust container and held out his hands for his arrest. As soon as the cuffs were slapped on and he was led away, the Hunter turned to face me, and the three kids lined up behind him. "Sorry, Daddy," one of the boys said. "We failed... _again_."

The Hunter merely rubbed his son's head. "We all make mistakes, son. Don't worry so much about it. We'll talk about this more when I get home from work, okay?"

The kids looked up and smiled. "Right!" They scurried off and the man turned to face me and Tina.

"Sorry about that. We've been having a bit more trouble with thieves this year," he said.

I brushed it off. "Don't apologize. A lot of places have been having trouble with them as of late," I said. "So it's not uncommon."

The man laughed. "True. Especially given the recent attacks by Satyra, I'm surprised more Grimm haven't shown up yet."

"Don't jinx yourselves," Tina cautioned as she held out her hand. "By the way, I'm Tina Hendricks and this is my companion, Joseph Matthews."

I nodded and held out my own hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Pleasure's mine, both of you," the Hunter said as he grasped our hands. Although I did notice surprise flicker across his features when he grasped mine. But then it was gone and he straightened up. "Name's Jaxon Rowland. Head Hunter here in Denver, and also a member of the City Guard."

"City Guard?" Tina cocked an eyebrow as she looked at his uniform. Unlike most other cities, Denver had what could only be considered as a civil defense group, although they preferred to be called the City Guard since it was their job to protect the city from the Grimm and other related enemies, such as Satyra. And the uniform reflected that. Jaxon wore a black and grey top with blue sleeves and grey pants with black boots topped with a blue accent. His weapon, a claymore, was slung over his back and he had dark green eyes that were framed by a thatch of dark blonde hair. On his left breast was the city flag, and the seal was planted on his right shoulder.

Jaxon nodded. "Yep. The Guard is like the police force against Grimm," he said, folding his arms. "And trust me, it's a lot better than having superheroes around like GrimmFall."

Tina pursed her lips as she looked around. I expanded my radar's range to full, scanning for any sign of signatures that did not register as Aura or Semblance. Those kinds of signatures usually indicated the presence of heroes, although some heroes had admittedly unlocked their own Aura, so that made it difficult to pick them out from the rest of the populace.

But nothing showed up on my sensors, so I took it as a sign that Jaxon was telling the truth. I turned my gaze to him.

"Mind me asking why Denver was founded near the Darklands?" I asked.

The man cocked an eyebrow. "You don't know?"

I shook my head.

Jaxon unfolded his arms as he gazed at both of us. "Well, Denver was founded in this area because of the huge amount of Dust that was located here. But such a decision cost the people many lives and even Faunus and Mobians who came to fill the ranks were also slaughtered. But it proved to work out in the long run as we've developed a few defenses that not even GrimmFall has." He gestured to the laser turrets positioned atop the guard towers. "Laser turrets powered by Dust are just one of the defenses that we've developed."

"Lasers, huh?" I had to admit, I was impressed. Even my beam magnum's magazines used Dust, but nothing like this. This was truly something else.

"Yep. And I gotta admit, it's come in handy way more times than we can count. Last Grimm attack happened only a few days before you arrived, actually," Jaxon explained. "The lasers did their work, and the barriers kept those that got past them at bay long enough for us Hunters to finish them."

Tina finally chose to interrupt. "Well, since we're in town, mind recommending a place for us to stay?"

Jaxon grinned. "There is the Brown Palace Hotel. A very historic building if you're into that kind of stuff."

Truth be told, I wasn't very interested, but it was a place to stay, so we took up his suggestion and after obtaining directions and a ride, we were on our way.

The hotel was nice, I had to admit, but I wasn't there for the history or architecture, although Tina tried to urge me to at least enjoy the historical aspect of it. For her sake, I decided to at least learn a bit about the place. We finally reached our rooms and, I reluctantly had to admit, they were rather nice. Thankfully we only had to stay a few days.

During the time we were in the city, we helped to round up a group of thugs from Satyra who were intent on setting off a bomb at one of the many intersections during morning rush hour. The fight wasn't long thanks to the City Guard, but it did leave a mess of the road. I was actually grateful the city's road repair crews were on the scene within fifteen minutes of the fight concluding. (That was when Tina thought it would be wise to move to the suburbs.)

We asked around for any place to stay, but there were no hotels at first. But Jaxon did tell us that there were a few homes for sale, which surprised us. He explained that since Denver was close to one of the Darkland zones, not many people wished to make a permanent home here, so the real estate market was actually very cheap in terms of housing prices. Tina and I finally decided to go with it, and we made Denver our home. We bought a small house in Marston, one of the many neighborhoods in the city, and one in the suburbs. The house we purchased wasn't that expensive, nor was it too cheap.

It took us a few months to get settled in. But once that was done, we got a surprising message from Jaxon about an impending Grimm attack. Well, not too surprising, to be honest. But it was the sheer number of Grimm that surprised us.

We met up with Jaxon at the local Wendy's for lunch.

He was waiting for us when we arrived. The place was busy, but he had managed to save us a table. He waved us over and we sat down. He sighed. "Sorry for the sudden call, but we got big trouble," Jaxon began. I could tell from his tone of voice that he was not feeling good about the news. I dimmed my optics a little.

"How bad are we talking?" I asked.

"Hundreds..." Jaxon whispered, rubbing his face with a hand. "Hundreds of Grimm. Biggest attack since the city was founded. Last one was about four hundred. This time we got a thousand."

Had I had a mouth, it would've fallen open at the number. Tina's eyes went wide as she and I looked at one another, then back at Jaxon.

"And that's not counting rumors of a Fallen in the area," he admitted.

My wings bristled a bit beneath my cloak and I clenched my fists. "Damn them..." I muttered.

Tina's face remained neutral at the news. "How long until it happens?" she inquired.

The Huntsman looked up. "I'd say we have until tonight. So the Guard's been preparing for it the entire morning, and into the afternoon. Truthfully, I don't know if we'll have enough time to finish setting things up..." He gritted his teeth. "If there is a Fallen guiding them, then we're in deep shit."

I glanced at Tina, a hint of worry starting to surface within me. I felt my reactor increase its humming and I clenched a fist right over it, as if that would calm it down. "So you want us to help, is that it?" I asked.

Jaxon nodded. "Yeah. We're starting to get desperate. A few other people have agreed to assist the Guard, but none of them have completed their Hunter training. You two are perhaps the most experienced of the civilians, if your records are right."

We both nodded as one. "We are," Tina added. "But something tells me you're not just asking us for help because we're experienced."

For a long while, there was nothing but silence between us and Jaxon sighed. "You're right. As I said, we're getting desperate. Given the amount of Grimm coming, it will be a miracle if the defenses hold them off for a long period of time."

"What kind of Grimm are we talking?" I asked, bringing the matter back on track.

Jaxon reached into his uniform pocket and pulled out a small tablet, setting it on the table and sliding it over to us. I grabbed it before Tina could and we both leaned over as I brought up the images of the Grimm in this area. My optics dimmed a bit as Tina's eyes narrowed. "Looks like we got our work cut out for us," I muttered. "No one's brought down a Nevermore before." I paused. "Well, not without risking lives."

"What about the Griffons?" Tina asked. "That's also an issue."

I nodded. "Yeah. But the real issue is that Nevermore." I slid the tablet back towards Jaxon. "Now I can see why you're getting desperate. A Nevermore is a hard Grimm to bring down."

Jaxon took his tablet and placed it back in his pocket. "Yeah. And so far... no one has been able to. In fact, that very Nevermore has been consistently attacking the city here. It's very intelligent, so that makes it all the more difficult to keep facing it." He looked at both of us. "So... will you?"

I mentally frowned to myself. "Well, looks like we've got no choice. Especially given the Nevermore's abilities." I slowly flexed my wings, allowing Jaxon to see them. "At least one of us here can fly."

A smile broke out across Jaxon's face. "Thank you so much!" he cried, grabbing our hands. "This will really go a long way in curtailing the Grimm!"

We finally left the restaurant with Jaxon, and we slowly made our way to the city center where the City Guard was starting to lay out a battle plan. Guards were constantly monitoring the Darklands close by, keeping tabs on the Grimm and a few others were scouting out the Nevermore as it circled overhead. I was actually shocked it was circling above the city perimeter, and Jaxon explained it had been doing that for the last few hours, as if scanning for any sign of weakness in the perimeter. I studied it as it circled past the watch tower, zooming my vision in to see it. And boy, did it look the part of a threat. With its plumage and broad wings, it clearly had an air of experience around it, as some minor scarring could attest to. I frowned to myself in my thoughts as the Grimm looked down at me, fixing its red gaze on my violet optics.

Then it was gone, banking towards the next entrance into the city.

I turned my gaze back to the commander of the City Guard as he started to lay out the situation. I knew already about the Grimm Horde coming from the Darklands, and of the sheer number. But given the City Guard's numbers, it struck me as odd that they were desperate. Unless there was something else going on besides this Grimm attack.

I kept my thoughts to myself though as we finally started to split off into groups to cover different sections of the city. Tina and I were assigned to guard the Stapleton neighborhood, considering how large it was and its proximity to the Darklands area. With us was a group from the City Guard and a few civilians, which was worrisome to me. Not one of them had any training, and those few that did only had mediocre training. And the worst part? No one was assigned to take charge. That _really_ made me suspicious.

We all waited as the sun started to descend beyond the mountains. The city lights were starting to come on, and all defenses were up and running. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a beam saber, and I felt my frame tense in anticipation of the coming slaughter - that's what it was going to be. I knew it.

The moon started to emerge from behind its cloud cover, and the area was cast in an eerie white-grey glow. Tina checked over her rapier and Dust supply while I made sure my arsenal was good to go. In truth, I wasn't even sure if we could do this. The Nevermore was the only Grimm that would take enormous efforts to slay, and as it could fly, that meant that it had an advantage; even the Griffons had a big advantage in the air.

Then we heard them.

The sounds of Grimm. Growls of the Ursa, howls of the Beowolves, and the cries of the Griffons. The battle had begun.

The Griffons materialized out of the cloud cover as they dove for our sector. Already the defenses were coming online and swinging around. Lasers lanced out into the darkness, striking several Griffons and sending them plummeting as their bodies vanished into thick black smoke. The City Guard sentries let loose with their own Dust weapons, and one of them cast his Semblance over the whole area, directing any Hunters or civilians to the closest weak points that could be breached. A squad of Griffons began to descend on the city's defenses in that area and their claws flashed as they started to split off.

A group of City Guard personnel and civilians started to fire back, red explosive Dust shells slamming into one or two, but they swiped and gashed into the humans, Faunus, and Mobians. Blood spilled from their wounds and a few collapsed off their guard posts, their bodies no longer filled with life. Those few that survived happened to be with the City Guard, and I was shocked by the sudden slaughter. The Nevermore's cry echoed over the battle site and my optics shot up to lock onto the beast as it circled.

The Grimm drew its wings close to its body before snapping them open, unleashing a slew of black feathers right for us like arrows. The large feather quills missed, but they did disrupt the momentum of the combined efforts to stall its forces. The City Guard were caught off guard by the attack, and the civilians that managed to regroup were terrified when the large avian Grimm began to descend on them all. It screeched loudly, and the little discipline that they mustered broke, people starting to panic and run, jostling into one another and even being trampled.

Personnel from the City Guard attempted to rally them, but to no avail.

I was getting sick of this. So I decided to take the initiative.

I grabbed my cloak and tossed it aside towards Tina, who yelped and grabbed it in shock. "What are you doing?!" she blurted, handing it back to me.

"I don't want to be hindered by that," I explained. "And I'm not going to sit by and let this go on. This defense is becoming a slaughter and a joke. If they're this desperate, then I'm gonna be a monkey's uncle!"

I flared my wings and crouched down, springing off the ground as my thruster pack ignited. I grasped the hilt of my Hyper Beam Sword and willed my psychoframe to activate. My armor shifted and slid open to expose the glowing green-white frame components and my visor retracted into my helm as my V-fin snapped open. I flared my optics as I charged for the Nevermore, drawing out my sword from my shield and igniting the beam emitters on its edges.

The bird never saw me coming. I drew back my sword and swung as hard as I could, a yell escaping my vocalizer. The edges cut into its body and a screech resonated over the battlefield. I hoped that people down below were noticing someone was taking the initiative. I sped past the Nevermore, my sword coming out of its body and it turned to face me, its red eyes flashing in the dim moonlight. It flared its wings and more of those feathers came right at me. I flashed my optics before I started twisting and turning in the air, relying on my agility and experience in flight to evade them. I spun around to dodge a feather that nearly hit me in the shoulder joint and my free hand clenched into a fist before I lashed out in a punch that connected solidly with its cheek. The bird tumbled through the air towards the ground before it righted itself and swooped up, using its downward momentum to climb back up into the air. I hissed through my vents and clenched my fists.

With a screech of fury, the Nevermore darted towards me, its beak wide open. My optics flashed as I finally swung my Beam Burst gun forward and aimed it right for the beast's mouth. Without as much as a second's hesitation, I fired. The 'dragon's breath' beam burst streaked out of the gun and right for the Nevermore, striking it right in the wings and two shots went into its mouth. The Nevermore screeched, but it wasn't going down. "Shit!" I swore. I terminated the beam and sped to the left as it barreled past me, and I put the gun back in storage on my right arm. "What's it gonna take!?"

The Nevermore shook its head and regained its senses rather quickly. I tensed and every hydraulic and system in my frame tensed. "Okay... Time to go all out!" I muttered. I kept myself at the ready as the bird came back towards me, and with it came a few Griffons. I didn't even waste any time as I launched my fin funnels from my wings, spreading them out over the battlefield. I sheathed my Hyper Beam Sword and grabbed my beam magnum from my lower back and aimed it as well. I waited for a few seconds before I fired with everything I had at the incoming Grimm.

The beams lanced out from my fin funnels and tore into the Griffons, causing them to disintegrate into black smoke. I fired my magnum not even a second later and the charged shot struck a Griffon that somehow managed to evade getting hit by my fin funnels. I drew the funnels closer to my frame and charged in, firing my beam magnum at the Nevermore as it swerved and fired off a few more feathers at me. I directed six of my funnels to take up positions in front of me, and with a single thought, the beams began to interconnect, forming what could only be described as a beam shield. The feathers bounced off it and I returned fire with my remaining funnels and my beam magnum. The beams hit the Nevermore in the wings and chest, and it peeled to the right before diving down towards the beleaguered neighborhood. My optics flashed bright violet as I dashed down after it, folding my wings close to my back to increase my diving speed. I fell past the Nevermore and turned around before spreading my wings and igniting my thrusters to slow my descent.

I aimed my beam magnum once more as my funnels split off and surrounded my frame, their tips aimed right for the Nevermore.

"EAT THIS!" I screamed, firing everything I had at the beast.

The barrage was intense, I will admit. Beam shots from my funnels and magnum struck the bird Grimm, causing it to screech in pain before it returned fire with its feathers. I held my position though, refusing to back down in the face of impending defeat. I shifted my funnels around so they were aiming right for the feathers' trajectory and I fired a few times, striking a few feathers with precision shots (I missed the majority to be honest) and hitting the Grimm in the legs, chest, and head. I darted upwards as the beast narrowly struck me with its talons. I flipped my frame around and came to a hover in front of it, my fin funnels reattaching to my wings. This time I replaced my beam magnum on my lower back and my shield on my thruster pack. I swung both beam tonfas forward and ignited the beam blades, my frame tensing.

As the Nevermore circled back around for another strike, I charged at it with every ounce of speed my frame could muster. A battle cry escaped my vocalizer as I slashed in an X formation, this time striking the Nevermore in the chest. I spun around at the same time, flipping so my foot was coming down on its head in a drop kick. The force of my blow was enough to send the bird falling towards the ground, its eyes reflecting a glazed look from my kick. I was about to dive after it when a blast of bright blue light lanced up from the defenses below, followed by a few more. I was surprised as a few more lasers streaked skyward, this time each beam penetrating the Nevermore. With a final screech, it fell to the ground, its body finally vanishing into thick black smoke.

But the attack wasn't over yet.

I dove down, this time going to town with my beam tonfas, cutting and slashing through the Griffons and Ursa Grimm that continued to assault the city's roadway barricades. My fin funnels were launched a second time, firing their lasers and shielding me from several other attacks from Grimm. I lost track of how much time passed, and somehow I found myself teamed up with a bunch of personnel and civilians as we fought in front of the Central Park Station. The last Grimm fell to a civilian's axe that night.

I stood in the middle of the group, my fin funnels hovering around me and my beam tonfas still going. My chest was heaving as I panted heavily, my frame covered in some blood from a wounded civilian I barely managed to save in time, as well as some minor oil leaks. But no one really even noticed that, as it was so dark. I looked around, my keen optics finally spotting Tina as she emerged from further down the road. I zoomed in a bit to see her face was dirty and she had a few scrapes on her body here and there. My cloak was currently folded in her arms as she ran over, her rapier held in one of her hands.

"Joseph!" she cried.

I turned as she ran up to me, returning my vision to normal view as she drew closer. "Tina!"

She skidded to a stop, panting as she looked me over. "You're hurt..." she rasped.

I shook my head. "No. I'm fine. This is just blood from someone else," I assured her. "What about you?"

"I'm fine..." she said, handing me my cloak. "... Here..."

I took it from her and threw it on over my frame, but didn't shut down my psychoframe just yet. "Any sign of any more Grimm?"

She shook her head as she gulped a bit. "No..."

I sighed in relief. "Thank God for that one..."

Jaxon called us over shortly after the attack ended, and he actually was impressed that not only had I managed to take on and win against the Nevermore, but it also had led to some of the other sectors to take initiative and rally to drive back the Grimm. However, it hadn't been enough. A good portion of the city was devastated, mostly in the lower income neighborhoods, but the damage could easily be fixed. It was the lives lost that could not. I bowed my head and clenched my fists. The mere fact that so many had lost their lives made my reactor hum louder in my chest in anger. But I ignored it and focused on the more positive things, mostly being that we managed to win against the Nevermore.

And yet, it seemed like there was something else at work here...

I managed to corner Jaxon and bring to his attention my suspicions, but he remained tight-lipped. That alone made me begin to wonder if he was hiding something. I kept an eye on him for the next few days, but there was no sign of him being a Fallen, as most Fallen couldn't hide their markings. Those few that could were usually of incredible power, but he clearly was not _that_ strong for a human Huntsman.

We finally settled into a normal routine of helping out in Grimm patrols and rebuilding the city as needed, and much to my surprise, people were starting to take notice of my actions. I made a point of retreating whenever they asked me some questions, much to their dismay. But I was still determined to remain out of sight for as long as possible. I was not going to expose myself so recklessly, although I had to admit that my actions a few weeks ago in the fight against the Nevermore _were_ rather reckless in hindsight. But what else was I supposed to do?

The next few months saw the city rebuilding quite quickly. By the time the rebuilding was complete, Tina and I had officially settled in. That gave me time to start investigating recent events that had forced the City Guard to turn to half-trained and half-prepared civilians, despite large numbers of defenders. It seemed a bit strange to me that Jaxon informed us of this, but refused to tell us why. But no matter where I looked, there seemed to be nothing strange. That made me all the more suspicious of him.

Tina and I finally sat down to dinner that evening. Well, more like Tina did. But I joined her just the same.

The house we bought was a nice modest ranch, although we had to have it redone in some areas to compensate for my... ahem... condition, such as reinforced doorways in case I bumped into them on accident with my wings. The interior of the house otherwise was nicely done, with a few tables and whatnot scattered throughout and stainless steel appliances for the kitchen. And much to my surprise, Tina selected a bedroom for the two of us to share, which was kind of awkward as I hardly _knew_ her. When I mentioned this, she simply explained that we'd be sharing the room, not the bed. Although the implications did make me blush a bit, I ignored it and found that the couch she set up for me was somewhat comfortable; at least it was better than sleeping on the ground.

Anyway, that evening we sat down at the table, Tina with her dinner and me just across from her.

"So, something's been bothering you," Tina told me seriously as she started to eat.

"How'd you know that?" I asked, surprised she'd learned to read my body language quite quickly, especially as I still wore my cloak. "I mean, given that I'm wearing armor _and_ a cloak, how'd you pick up on it?"

She gestured a bit. "Your body language. Mostly in the fact that your shoulders seem to tense up whenever something crosses your mind. It's been happening a lot as of late." She took a bite of her salad. "And your wings. I'm actually impressed that whoever designed the armor made them able to react to your mood. It's very interesting." Tina's eyes locked onto me and scanned my frame thoughtfully.

"Yeah..." I laughed nervously, feeling my reactor leap into my throat and I gulped a bit. "Look... Tina... I..." I paused, for once unsure if I should even tell her my secret. But she did seem trustworthy. I finally sighed, placing my head in my hands. "Look. I... I wasn't entirely honest with you when we first met. I mean..." I slowly removed my head from my hands and gazed down at them, flexing the metal digits and sighing.

"I... I'm not actually wearing armor at all," I finally admitted. "This... This is really my body, Tina. In a way, I guess it is like a life support system, but at the same time it's not." I clenched my hands into fists. "When I got injured... I was basically a cripple, so that much is true. But what isn't true is how I got like this. It turned out that Dr. Vist, the CEO of the Vist Foundation, came up with a very radical idea to give wounded Hunters a chance to continue the fight... by basically transferring their minds into a robotic frame." I looked up, my optics gazing into her blue eyes. "That's basically what happened with me. I... I had my mind transferred into this frame just so I could live my life without being bedridden for the rest of my life. I became a Hunter just so I could try and live my life, but at the same time, find out what is behind the appearance and creation of the Fallen."

I lowered my head in shame. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner..." I muttered.

Tina's eyes were wide as I looked back up at her. She set her fork down and stood up, making her way over to me and leaned in closer. I gulped a bit as she stared into my optics, and she narrowed her eyes before she leaned in and examined my left arm. She studied the joints, as if inspecting for any sign of flesh or bone beneath the metal. But when she saw none, she looked back at me. "So that's why you're always in that cloak?" she asked. "Because you don't want anyone to know the truth?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I... Can you forgive me for deceiving you?"

She smiled a bit. "Actually, I kind of knew something was off the moment I saw your wings twitch as if in response to your mood. But..." Her face became serious. "I never actually thought that Dr. Vist would be capable of creating something like this... Like you, I mean."

I nodded. "True. But... if you want to leave-" I was cut off as she clapped a hand on my faceplate, right on the slats.

"No way am I leaving you," she said seriously. "As I said, we're a team. And we need to stick together. It doesn't matter if you're flesh and blood, or metal and wires. You're my friend, Joseph. And that's all there is to it."

Had I been able to, I would've gaped at her. She seemed to sense the feeling in my optics though and removed her hand from my faceplate. "Besides, someone's gotta be able to fix your wounds," she added, smirking.

I perked up as what she said finally struck home. "Wait, what?!"


	6. Arc 0 - Discovery

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **(** _A scene of chaos is shown at the famous Navy Pier in Chicago as creatures bearing black skin and white bone plates attack the civilians, but then a youth decides to intervene in the fight, only to get injured severely._ **)**

 **Start Period - Fullmetal Alchemist OST**

 **(** _The boy is shown in a hospital, lying on a bed as the camera pans in on the flashing light before it fades to blackness._ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **At last we're here at the half way point** **(** _A pair of violet optics flash online as the screen pans out to show a dark blue colored mecha with a pair of draconic wings on the back as he stands atop a building in a city surrounded by mountains._ **)**

 **In the heart of our endless journey** **(** _The mecha flares his wings and takes flight as he draws out a sword from his shield, charging at an imposing black Grimm with large wings and scars across its body._ **)**

 **At last, while everything still is calm (** _As the two collide a flash of light is shown to reveal a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes looking at the camera, a rapier in her left hand as she holds a Dust canister in her right._ **)**

 **Take a deep breath (** _She swings her sword, only for it to extend into a whip as it swirls with wind around it, curtesy of the wind Dust in the chamber._ **)**

 **We both have just began to grasp it (** _The wind engulfs the screen only to vanish as fire surrounds a sword, the camera panning out to show a redheaded woman with a fiery sword in her grasp._ **)**

 **But it's slipped out of our hands (** _The woman slashes with her sword as the camera follows the shockwave before it hits a wasp-like Grimm, incinerating it before the camera is engulfed in flames._ **)**

 **And we will learn from those fragile mistakes (** _The flames vanish as the camera moves up and out of them, showing a city under siege. **)**_

 **'til nothing stands in our way (** _The city defenses struggle to keep the Grimm Horde at bay, only to be aided by two more figures, one of them leaping into the air and firing a Dust-laced rocket from a rocket launcher at the closest Grimm._ **)**

 **An unbreakable bond will forever link our hearts (** _The two figures land, one of them being a man wearing a trench coat and behind him appears a buxom woman in shadow as beside him stands a woman with a hammer in one hand, her gaze locked onto the sky above them._ **)**

 **There's no spell, no hell, that will undo us (** _The camera pivots to show the two from the side and then from the front, only this time they stand beside the mecha and other two women as they stand in front of a large metallic structure._ **)**

 **We have made it here at last (** _The fortress is shown in all its glory, cybernetic organisms lurking around it and several of them aim at the camera as two sinister green optics appear behind the scene, flaring brightly._ **)**

 **In this never ending dance (** _The light envelops the camera only for it to vanish as the scene shows a woman with blonde hair and a man with a slightly darker shade of blonde hair standing in front of the mountain city, the others landing beside them._ **)**

 **And we'll live through us the period of time (** _The group lunges at the screen, weapons drawn as more Grimm attack._ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Darklands_

 _The Darklands are places that are known to be crawling with Grimm. Located in the United States of America and scattered across the globe as well, these areas are usually cut off from civilization and those who dare to venture inside usually do not come out. So very few people live there, and settlements tend to be very sparse. What few settlements do remain are usually abandoned and overgrown, although in recent years some brave Hunters and Huntresses have dared to try and make small, but permanent settlements in these lands._

 _Not much else is known, so only rumors and speculation can give people information on these Grimm-infested wastelands._

 _Close File_

* * *

"What is fear?" TOM asked as he closed the file on the Darklands. "Fear is many things, but sometimes it can be so overpowering that it clouds our judgment. Fear of the unknown is one of the more well-known ones. But so are phobias, or irrational fears such as of spiders, mushrooms, or even simple water. Phobias are more complex, and sometimes need help to overcome." He leaned back in his chair. "But as a wise leader once said: the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. And that is true, because only if we let fear control us do we lose sight of who we are."

* * *

"Wait, what?!"

I was surprised she had said what she did, but mostly that she considered me a friend, not seeing a machine, but a _person_ before her.

She smiled at me as she resumed eating. "Look. I can keep a secret. And to be honest, this is actually kind of ironic in a way." Tina chuckled a little. "I mean, here we are in a world where people have powers and use a supernatural element to augment their powers, and here _you_ are, an individual without the superpowers, a human mind in a highly advanced robotic frame designed for combating Grimm in large numbers."

I stared at her for a moment before it dawned on me she was right. It _was_ kind of ironic, in a way, but at the same time it did make sense... kind of. I chuckled a bit as well. "I guess you're right on that one," I remarked.

Then I looked down. "But... did you really mean what you said? That you see me as a friend, and not a machine?"

Tina nodded. "You bet." She finished her dinner and cleared up her spot before rejoining me at the table. "Like I said. We're a team, Joseph. And nothing's gonna change that." She placed a hand on mine, and for some reason, a jolt raced through my psychoframe before I shuddered slightly. I didn't know why, but that felt... good...

She pulled her hand away, not having noticed my shaking; or if she did, she wasn't saying a thing about it. "Now c'mon. It's starting to get late."

As she got to her feet, I looked at the hand she had grasped, and flexed it a bit. I finally stood up and made my way out onto the back porch, looking up at the sky.

Memories of that Nevermore flittered through my processor and I shuddered against my will. I still couldn't believe I had fought against such a beast and won. From what I could recall, no one had faced a Nevermore and lived. Mostly due to the fact that those Grimm were insanely durable.

I only hoped my frame was just as - if not more than - durable as those birds.

We finally fell asleep that night, or rather I fell into recharge and Tina fell asleep.

I woke the next morning and, upon bringing my optics online, I saw that the sun was starting to poke through the curtains covering the window. Grumbling to myself, I rolled over onto my other side, away from the window. Of course, by that time, my mind was wide awake and I sighed through my vents. "Dammit..." I muttered. I sat up and threw the covers off my frame, getting to my feet and stretching my joints and wings.

After I had finished my stretching, I turned and glanced back at the bed where Tina slept. She was already up, as the empty spot on the bed indicated, and I could only guess that she was either in the shower or in the kitchen. I shrugged and walked out of the room, finally spotting her in the kitchen making breakfast for herself. She looked over and blinked. "Oh! I didn't expect you to be up for another half hour!" she remarked.

"Guess I woke up earlier than I intended," I said, trying to make a joke out of it. But I guess I messed up as she merely rolled her eyes, but with a small smirk. She shook her head and resumed her cooking.

"So, what now?" she asked. "I mean, after the recent events with the Nevermore, I can only guess that there will be more trouble..."

I shrugged helplessly. "Beats me," I said. "I'm just as stumped as you are."

Of course, we had no idea how wrong we were.

The morning passed by, with us just going about our daily lives and getting involved in a bit of a Dust theft prevention. Had to admit, doing stuff like this was getting rather boring. I had no idea that things were about to change that afternoon.

As soon as the afternoon came though, I was surprised when Tina got a call from Jaxon.

It seemed like a normal call as he had made these kinds of calls before, usually requesting our assistance on something like stopping a Dust heist or breaking up a terrorist attack. But when she told me what it was about, that sent all kinds of red flags up in my processor.

"You're kidding!" I blurted. "He wants us to go into the Darklands?!"

She nodded. "That's what he said."

' _Why would he want us to do that?_ ' I thought, glancing out the window. ' _It's a big risk to even go into such places, and as it stands only Class IV or V Hunters and Huntresses are able to make it through and even survive there... Me and Tina? We're only a Class III rank. Not even enough experience for this kind of thing. So, why?_ '

Tina seemed to sense my thoughts and glanced at me. "You're worried, aren't you?" she noted.

I nodded. "I am..." I admitted. "I mean... why ask us? We're only Class III Hunters. We're not strong enough to even survive in there for long periods..."

The two of us sat there for a while, trying to make sense of this new situation. And as it stood, I was really worried about our chances of survival. While Tina may have had her Aura and Semblance, I had nothing except the frame I was given and the weapons that came with it. I clenched my fists and growled a little in the back of my vocalizer. Just what did Jaxon really have planned for us...?

That same afternoon found me lounging in the yard of our home, my optics locked onto the sky above me as I lay underneath the tree, my wings spread out to either side of me. I had my hands laced behind my helmet, and I had to admit, the sun on my armor felt good. I sighed through my vents. "Man... What's Jaxon even planning?" I muttered to myself.

All kinds of theories and scenarios as to why he wanted us to be sent into the Darklands floated through my processor, ranging from hunting down powerful Grimm to the more illogical such as him working with more dangerous enemies and sending us in to be killed. But if that were the case, then he had to have a reason. He was a powerful Huntsman, and he was able to hold his own, so... why didn't he go in? Why send us in?

I was so busy thinking that I didn't realize Tina was close to me until she knelt down and covered the view of the sky, her hair tickling my faceplate.

I yelped and scooted back, pushing myself into a sitting position as my reactor raced loudly in my chest. "Geez, Tina! You scared me!" I blurted. I placed a hand on my chest, feeling my reactor settling down. "You almost gave me reactor failure!"

"Sorry," she apologized, "but we have to go. Jaxon told me that there've been sightings of strange Grimm lurking around here, and that he thinks they may be in the Darklands."

 _Now_ things were starting to make sense, but as to why send us, that still raised a lot of red flags.

I nodded. "Right. When do we leave? Did he say?"

Tina stood up and helped me to my feet. "He said we're to leave in an hour."

"Right," I muttered. "Not enough time to get ready."

"Enough to be prepared," Tina told me as she handed me my cloak. "I already got some Dust yesterday, so we're good to go."

I took the cloak and threw it around my frame.

Our expedition to the Darklands began that evening.

We approached the outskirts of the city around 2100 hours. The trip by bus was not very fun, as it was cramped and we had to deal with a very rude Faunus attacking a Mobian verbally. So we had to change buses en route just to avoid hearing the slander and racist arguments. It proved to be a good thing, as the bus route we initially selected didn't get to our destination until some time after 2200 hours. The sun was setting and the moon was poking out as we exited the bus at the station closest to the gate.

The Darklands lay before us beyond that gate, and boy... was I getting the creeps.

After we checked with security, the gate groaned open and we stepped out into the border between Denver and the Darklands.

I could see that the entire area was completely overgrown with trees and vegetation, and from the looks of things there were a few clearings in the middle of that dense forest. I hefted my beam rifle and Tina gripped her rapier.

I took in a breath and we took our first steps into the Darklands.

The place was eerie, and the sounds of creatures - along with Grimm - made my circuits crawl. I scanned all around us, my radar and my sensors going at full power. Tina's eyes were hard as she cast her gaze about. "Man... this place gives me the willies..." she muttered.

"Gee, ya think?" I retorted. "This place makes my circuits crawl."

We kept walking for another fifteen minutes before we came to a halt in the middle of a clearing. Due to the need to remain vigilant in this place, we decided to take turns standing watch. I would take the first watch and then we'd change over in four hours. It wasn't a good way to get some sleep, but we had no other choice.

Of course, the first watch wasn't eventful, but then again, one could never tell in a place like this.

Tina relieved me around two in the morning and I was out like a light after that.

Of course, the next morning was when things were going to get interesting...

* * *

I awoke to the sound of birds chittering in my audio receptors.

I groaned and shifted, throwing my arm over my optics as the light peeked through the tree branches. A few grumbles escaped my vocalizer and I heard shifting beside me. ' _Tina must've fallen asleep..._ ' I mused as I finally drove the last vestiges of sleep from my processor. I sat up, rubbing my helm with one hand and bringing my optics online as I did so.

By the time my vision had cleared of static and the familiar HUD retreated to the sides of my vision, I looked around to see that we were not too far from the border of the Darklands close by. I could see the city of Denver beyond the tree line, and the buildings glistened with familiar light. It was a stark contrast to this untamed wilderness, but at the same time it was a reminder of how like GrimmFall, Denver was a place for people to live and prosper in defiance of the Grimm Horde.

The two cities couldn't be any different from one another, but at the same time they were just like one another in many ways. The biggest difference was the lack of superheroes, and more dependence on the City Guard for defense, as well as the technological innovations that took place there. But both were located close to the Darklands to train any future Huntsmen, and both also possessed a reputation of being incredibly hard to break.

A mental smirk flittered through my thoughts before I heard the subtle rustling of a sleeping bag. I turned to look at where Tina lay, and she was already rubbing at her eyes. "Okay... Maybe it wasn't a good idea..." she muttered.

"Gee, ya think?" I remarked with a mild snort.

A yelp forced me to cover my audios with my hands. "Geez! You scared me!" Tina gasped, rubbing at her chest with one hand.

"Sorry," I muttered, rubbing the side of my helmet with one hand. "I guess maybe this wasn't a good idea, either..."

"At least we agree on that much," she said. Tina scurried out from her sleeping bag and zipped it up before she rolled it up and put it on her backpack. "So, I know you don't eat, but I need something to eat before we head out."

I nodded. "All right. I'll wait."

She quickly popped open a small disposable container of cereal and started to munch as I stood off to the side, my optics locked onto the city beyond the trees. I couldn't believe how much time had passed since the day we arrived in Denver. Even though barely half a year passed, the city already felt like home to me. I guessed that maybe it had something to do with the lack of superheroes, and the fact that the city was so resilient in the aftermath of that large horde that devastated the city back in the late nineteenth century. I sighed through my vents, my mind drifting back to my parents and my two best friends. Truthfully with all that had been happening, I didn't have as much time to contact them, let alone see them. But at least they understood and always were happy to hear from me when I did call them.

I was so busy wrapped up in my memory files that I didn't even notice Tina was finished until she slapped me upside the helm with her hand. "Hey!"

I yelped and staggered a bit, my hand flying for my head and rubbing the back of it. "Geez! Tina!" I remarked.

"Sorry. But you were busy elsewhere, weren't you?" Tina asked as she tossed the biodegradable cup aside. "Now c'mon."

We started to make our way deeper into the Darklands. And I wasn't liking this one bit. I felt my reactor increase its humming in my chest as I gripped my beam magnum in both hands. Tina's rapier was held at the ready, and she gripped a small Dust container in her free hand.

"Think we need any light?" she asked.

I nodded as I flicked on the lights mounted to my helm and shoulders. "I got it," I told her.

"Wow. Didn't even know you had those," she remarked with a raised eyebrow.

I shrugged. "Always did. I just never needed them until now." I turned my gaze back towards the path before us as we ventured in further.

For a few minutes, there was just silence and the birds chittering. Then, the birds suddenly let out alarmed squawks and a large rustle of feathers took place.

All around us was just deafening silence.

It was so quiet I could hear the energy humming through my circuits and the faint whirring of my reactor. I could even hear Tina's breathing as she looked around, her eyes widening in alarm. We stood back to back, my flight pack pressing against her backpack.

And then we heard it.

A low grunting.

That familiar lump-like sensation filled my throat as I gulped nervously.

"Oh boy..." I muttered.

The grunting caused me to raise my magnum and Tina to heft her rapier. I could also hear the trees groaning and creaking as the forms of huge Grimm began to move into view. I felt my reactor leap into my throat and I gulped audibly.

I knew these Grimm.

Beringels. They looked like gorillas, but possessed black fur and bone plating, along with skin that appeared to be burnt. I had faced them once before, and despite their size, they were incredibly strong and durable. But one thing I had learned was that despite their sheer strength and durability, they were _not_ as fast or agile as I was. (Mostly due to the thrusters on my frame, but hey, you know what I mean.) There was actually a group of these things, and they were watching us from the trees, their red eyes gazing into my violet optics and Tina's blue eyes.

The Beringel closest to us lunged out from the trees and my beam bayonet was active in a flash as Tina extended her rapier into its whip form. Lightning crackled over the whip components and I thrust my bayonet towards the charging Beringel while Tina snapped her whip out to graze another and cause it to freeze up. My bayonet impaled the forehead of the Beringel attacking me and it froze stiff as my blade had pierced its brain.

I pulled my bayonet out of the Beringel's skull and turned to bring up my shield just as another Grimm drove its fists into the metallic defensive equipment. I actually found I had to brace my legs in order to keep myself from sliding back, and I swore the hydraulics in my legs were straining from this. I cast my gaze around, trying to figure out a solution before one of the Beringels lunged at me from behind. I reacted by leaping to the side, and I finally was forced to use my head Vulcans. In all my time as a Gundam, I had never even needed to use them once, so the very sensation when I let loose startled me. It was like... It's kinda hard to explain even today, but the best way I can describe it is like small pellets exiting the sides of my helm. And even that is an inadequate description.

Still, the bullets from my head Vulcans did the trick as they peppered one of the Beringels in the face and actually inflicted some damage to its bone plating, including nailing it in the eye. The creature roared as it clutched at its face and I retreated further for a better chance to gain some breathing room. Tina whirled at hearing the sound of my Vulcans and she was surprised to see me using them before I fell back to a safer distance.

"Joseph! You okay?" she called.

"Been better!" I shot back as I blocked a Grimm's fist with my shield again and lashed out with my beam bayonet. The blade impaled the Grimm in the elbow and the Beringel screeched before it fell back, holding its wounded arm.

My optics flashed a bit as I studied the Beringel with a cool gaze. Something didn't seem right here. There was no way these Grimm could be so good at strategizing... Let alone what they were doing. Unless...

I suddenly jerked my head up as I heard Tina's whip whistling through the air, a cry escaping her throat. I whirled around just in time to see her weapon impale another Beringel before it dissipated into thick black smoke. But the person behind it sent a chill racing down my back struts. "Oh, shit...!" I muttered.

My frame seemed to move of its own accord, and I found myself lunging for Tina, my thrusters roaring in my audios. I finally grabbed her, tackling her to the ground as an explosive Dust round struck the ground behind us. The two of us went rolling before I grunted and looked up, finding myself pinned beneath her supple body. Our eyes and optics met...

"So... you survived. I'm impressed," the familiar voice of Skarr hissed.

Tina got off of me and I scrambled to my feet, my wings flaring as I hefted my magnum. "What're you doing here?!" I growled out. "And how come you're following me?!"

The Fallen didn't even answer.

Tina shot a glance at me. "This is the Fallen?" she asked, her eyes wide.

I nodded. "Yeah. But what I want to know is why he's following me," I muttered to her.

Skarr's eye flashed red and I mentally gritted my teeth. I willed my psychoframe to activate, and my armor shifted and slid open as my visor and faceguard retracted into my helm, exposing my true Gundam features. My V-fin snapped open as the glowing greenish-white frame became visible beneath my armor.

Tina gripped her rapier/whip as she gritted her teeth, preparing to charge at him.

"Wait!" I cried. My hand lashed out and grabbed onto her arm. "Don't even think about it! I've seen what he can do, and if anything we shouldn't be so reckless! Especially with his Semblance!"

She froze at that, her eyes widening as his Aura flared, seething a bright purple color. My violet optics dimmed a shade as I flared my wings in a menacing manner, crouching in response to try and intimidate him. But given how he was a Fallen, he wasn't that easy to intimidate. His single eye flashed red before he thrust his hand out and I pulled Tina behind me as I raised my shield.

Tina shivered as that familiar feeling of an imposing will slithered over us both. I gripped her in a protective embrace, and he growled in frustration. "You learn fast," he mused. "But still... not good enough."

"Why are you even following me?!" I demanded again. "Answer that!"

"..." Skarr was silent. His eye merely narrowed at the question.

At the time, I had no idea as to why he was following me. So I had to try and guess. But so far, nothing came into my processor. I finally gripped my beam magnum and aimed it from behind my shield at him before firing off a shot.

The shot barely missed the Fallen as he dodged and rolled to the side, his Semblance retreating.

Tina seemed to regain her senses and shook her head. "Okay... That was just downright creepy... and violating!" she muttered.

"That's how I felt when I first experienced it," I told her. "But right now, we got a fight to win!"

The Huntress nodded and hefted her whip/rapier as she snapped it. She spun the Dust chamber until it rested on red Dust, and with a press of the switch on the hilt, fire started to creep down the whip. I noticed that her eyes were hard and she seemed to be tensing. I retreated in shock as a shimmering green Aura, more like a bioluminescent green, started to seethe over her body.

Her eyes flashed as she suddenly lunged, her body seeming to move with incredible agility as she sprang up, her whip snapping out with fire engulfing it. I watched in shock as she nearly scored a hit on his left arm before he returned fire with his rifle. She landed and kicked off the ground, her Semblance kicking in and energy covered her right fist before she punched, delivering a shockwave across the ground. Skarr was slammed hard by it, and he staggered back, his Aura weakening from the impact. "Holy...!"

Had they been able to, I'm sure my optics would've widened at the sight.

The Fallen gritted his teeth as he hefted his rifle and spun the Dust chamber until it rested on the ice Dust. He fired it at us both and I ignited my verniers, jetting into the air as Tina rolled to the left. The ice round hit the ground where we had been mere seconds ago and an icy patch of earth was left behind. Tina gritted her teeth as she swung her whip, a fire wave heading right for him. But Skarr was already on the move, vanishing into the brush to avoid getting hit. I was already scanning for his signature as I landed, but considering how he was a Fallen, it was difficult to get a lock on him. His Aura though... now _that_ I was able to detect.

I whipped my frame around and fired off a shot from my beam magnum a few seconds later. The shot struck something and a grunt came from the object, or person, actually, I had hit. Skarr staggered back into the trees, and vanished once more from our sight.

But not from my sensors.

"Joseph... this Skarr... He's a dangerous man..." Tina breathed into my audio receptor.

I nodded. "No duh," I muttered. "I've fought him once before, so I know he's dangerous."

"How'd you win last time?" she asked.

"It was a fluke," I muttered back. "He had something else to take care of... And I suspect that it may have something to do with why he's following me..."

"A hunch?" Tina whispered.

I nodded subtly.

I wasn't sure why I was even thinking that, but later on I learned to trust my gut on such things, as it had saved my life a few times before. But right now, I had to trust in my gut _and_ Tina.

"So... you got a plan?" she asked.

"Just one..." I hissed.

Before I could explain though, Skarr's rifle barked again and both of us dodged as an explosive Dust round struck the dirt in between us. I took flight once again, and this time I stayed airborne as I fired off a charged shot from my beam magnum. The blast barely struck Skarr in the chest and he growled as he hefted his rifle. I picked out his red eye as he snarled.

The Fallen fired a second explosive Dust shell, and Tina leapt back, skidding from the explosion as it hit the ground. I looked down, only to see that the Beringels were starting to close in again. "Oh, shit...!" I muttered.

Now we were in deep shit.

I wasn't sure if we'd even be able to get out of this one.

The only real option we had was to run, but where to? I wasn't even sure if I could fly in this place, given the thick tree limbs and whatnot. But then again, what choice did we have? My hand lashed out and grabbed onto Tina's arm, earning a surprised yelp from her. "Hey! What the-?!"

I cut her off as I holstered my magnum and grabbed both her arms and, taking her in my own arms, I turned and flared my verniers, speeding away at full throttle. Tina screamed as I did so, but I could care less. All I cared about at the moment was getting us to safety.

We flew for a full half hour before we came to a stop a good distance away from Skarr, and the Grimm. I finally landed, setting Tina down on the ground after my feet made contact with the earth below. She tore herself out of my grasp and spun to glare at me. "What was that for?!" she screamed at me. "We could've taken him!"

"Not with all those Grimm around," I told her. "Skarr's a rather cunning Fallen. And that's saying something. So we can't underestimate him. And truthfully, this is the first time I've seen him working in concert with Grimm." I looked away briefly. "It was almost as if he was commanding them..."

Tina's Aura began to fade as she calmed down. "Oh... So... you're saying he's not someone you wanna face unless you have support..." she mused.

I nodded. "Yeah... And right now, we need to find a better position."

"Why?" Tina inquired.

I sighed through my vents. "I don't think he's gonna give up any time soon..." I muttered. "Not until we're dead... or he's been beaten..."

* * *

The two of us spent a good two and a half hours finding a better position. Once we found one - it turned out to be a small clearing that was partially filled with rubble from a set of ruins close by - we each took up a position to defend ourselves, although I also sent out my fin funnels, much to Tina's surprise. After I finished setting up my funnels for attack, we both waited.

And it was agonizing. I was sure that Skarr was biding his time to try and get us to break, but we refused. Mostly because we knew that he was a skilled fighter. Or rather, because _I_ knew.

The first grunts of the Beringels came and we both tensed. My optics glowed dimly as I looked around, picking out their red eyes and the white bone plates amongst the darkened tree trunks. By now the sunlight was struggling to breach the treetops, and I shivered. We seemed to be getting deeper into the heart of the Darklands...

My thoughts were brought back to reality as my sensors beeped in my head. I looked up, and my optics dimmed a shade as I picked up Skarr's Aura signature on my radar. "He's coming," I muttered.

The Fallen stepped closer to the clearing and his eye narrowed as he sniffed. "So, you wish to know why I was following you?" he asked.

"Yes!" I growled from my hiding spot.

"You interrupted my plans," Skarr said calmly. A shudder raced down my back struts at the tone of his voice. It was _too_ calm.

"What plans?" I asked, my hand flexing towards my magnum.

"Simply put you interrupted my recruitment operations." Skarr's hand gripped his rifle before he spun the Dust chamber to bright orange. "And frankly, we're not too pleased with that, my master and I." He aimed the rifle at the ground between us both and I gasped as he fired it, sending a fiery projectile right for us. I summoned my fin funnels back, using four of them to shield myself and four to shield Tina. The projectile splattered against the ground, sending some of the stuff flying for my shields. The energy barriers held, but it wasn't going to be long before the 'lava' ate through them. I pulled back my funnels and leapt out of hiding, positioning all eight around my frame and firing them simultaneously.

His eye flashed and he was on the move, calling out a Beringel to shield him from the beams. The Grimm didn't stand a chance against my barrage. I hissed through my vents at that.

Tina came out of hiding as well and cracked her whip, sending a blast of ice right for him. The glimmering of an ice Dust vial in the chamber indicated she was going to try and freeze him to the ground. My optics flashed in surprise at that.

But Skarr dodged it and fired a second round from his rifle. I lunged and unholstered my magnum from my flight pack, aiming it and firing a charged shot right for his chest. This time the blast struck him and he grunted as he was pushed back by the attack. "Not bad..." he mused. "But not good enough!"

However, some small part of me was confused. Recruitment operations? Why was he recruiting normal humans to the cause of the Fallen? It didn't make any sense. Normally Grimm ignored such humans and instead attacked families that had just given birth when they were seeking out new Fallen. But recently such attacks had become more sporadic, and less of a major news story.

Was this somehow connected?

I was suddenly struck hard by a blast of fire Dust, knocking me off my perch and landing on the ground on my back; but somehow I still kept a firm grip on my gun and shield, although a few of my fin funnels landed on the ground beside me as I had lost focus. I grunted as I pushed myself up into a sitting positon, only to have to roll to the side as Skarr tried to impale me through the chest with his broadsword.

I also called my funnels back to me as I rolled. The few that had been on the ground darted back into the air and I held my rifle across my chest, in a crouching position. Skarr noticed this and laughed a bit. "You're getting better," he remarked.

"Sure wish the same could be said for you!" I growled. "Now... answer this: what recruitment operations are you talking about?"

Skarr refused to say anything on the subject.

Behind me I could hear Tina fighting against the Beringels, using her Aura and Semblance to great effect. I brought my focus back to Skarr though. "Not talking huh?" I mused. "Well, then we'll just have to finish this."

The Fallen though refused to even move. It seemed as if he in a brief trance. Then he came back to the present and scowled. "We'll have to call it quits for now, Gundam," he muttered. Clearly he didn't like the situation at all. "But be warned: Interfere again, and I shall not be so lenient on you or your little companion again."

With a grunt, he leapt into the shadows, and the Beringels began to fall back, leaving the two of us alone in the clearing.

Both me and Tina stood there, wary and tense for any possible attacks from other Grimm or Fallen, if there were any close by.

My sensors and radar scanned all around us, but nothing appeared on my scanners, save for some birds that started to come back out of hiding.

We finally relaxed and I lowered my gun as Tina returned her whip to its rapier form and slid it into a sheath on her belt.

"Well, we won," she said.

"Yeah. But again, it was a fluke," I mused. I replaced my magnum on my flight pack and folded my arms across my chest. I hummed to myself as I tried to figure out what he was planning.

Of course, my musing was interrupted when Tina nudged me. "Hey, Joseph?"

I perked up and looked at her. "Yeah?"

"Where exactly _are_ we?" Tina asked. "I mean, I know we're in the Darklands, but... what settlement are we in?"

I finally took a glance around, and at once made note of our surroundings.

The ruins we were in were very old, as the structure clearly didn't resemble any ancient Mobian, Faunus, or human ruins. There were ancient pillars that were mostly overgrown with roots and vegetation, some of them practically covered entirely, save for a few spots here and there. A huge stone structure - or actually its composition was totally unknown to me, as my sensors failed to get an accurate reading on it - was not too far from what apparently was a large square, or the remains of one, anyway. And the structure itself was covered in strange runes and symbols.

My optics roved over it, taking in everything I could about it. "The hell?" I slowly ventured closer to the old structure, and Tina followed along behind me.

"Uh, are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked nervously.

"To be honest, no. But something about this place... it just seems..." My voice trailed off. I wasn't sure _what_ exactly I was even feeling, but it was a strange emotion that seemed to evoke a feeling of safety and peace.

And not as in the peace that came with meditation or shunning the violence of this world. It was more like a safety and peace of mind that came with intense security. As if this place were heavily guarded by something.

I drew closer to the structure, and my optics picked out something flickering. My gaze shot to it and I zoomed in on it, only to gape in shock at what appeared to be a camera, but it didn't look anything like the ones we have today. Instead, it was more of an orb shape with a single lens that whirred and adjusted as it locked onto us. "Sweet Glob..." I breathed.

Tina was surprised as well. "Is that a camera?!" she blurted.

I nodded. "Yeah. But... why's it still operational? And what's it doing here?"

Now this was starting to get rather interesting. If this place still had a functioning camera, then that meant that there was still power here... as if it were some kind of a base...

Hold on. What was an ancient site doing with such security to begin with?

This warranted an investigation.

I squashed all doubt as I began to make my way towards the opening that led into the old building.

"Hey! What're you doing?!" Tina blurted as she saw what I was doing. "This is not what we were ordered here to do!"

"Tina, something's not right here," I said, turning to face her. "First during that Grimm attack the City Guard was supposedly desperate, and the city was nearly overwhelmed if I didn't take the initiative. Jaxon then orders us to go into the Darklands, apparently to search out some new Grimm or see if there were any, and now this place? I have a feeling this may all be connected somehow. And I intend to get to the bottom of it. And face it. You've been getting that feeling too, haven't you?"

She paused, chewing on her lower lip before she nodded. "Yeah. I have... But I still don't think this is such a good idea."

"I agree, but... we have to get to the bottom of this. So... you coming or staying?" I asked as I turned back to head inside.

Tina yelped and darted after me. "Wait up!"

* * *

The interior of the place was in even worse shape than the outside. Or at least the entrance was. My helm and shoulder-mounted lights did provide the illumination needed to see, and Tina hefted a flashlight in one hand.

The further we got into the building, the more the interior seemed to be in a surprisingly decent condition. At least there were not very many tree roots or plants growing inside the walls or whatnot. About the only real issue we had were bats and spider webs. I brushed a few webs aside with one hand as Tina made a noise of disgust when she collided with one. "Ick!"

"Gross, I know," I muttered. "Not fun at all."

I shook my hand to try and remove the webs clinging to my frame.

"Okay..." I wiped my hand on my cloak a minute later.

We continued to make our way down the corridor. I could vaguely see what appeared to be cameras placed at every intersection, and each one was barely online. We came to an intersection that wasn't blocked off by collapsed rubble and I paused, looking down the two visible hallways. I cast a glance up at the camera, and it flickered feebly before dying out. "Hmm..."

I noticed it was facing away from the closest hallway, and after some quick examination of the wall, I saw a wire leading down that hallway. "C'mon. This way."

"Uh... Joseph, this place is giving me the creeps..." Tina murmured.

"Me too," I told her. "But if anything, I'm more confused than before. So c'mon."

I hated to admit it, but my sense of curiosity was stronger than my fear at that moment. I chalked it up to my logic circuits acting up. But that was what saved our lives that day. Because we didn't know it, but we were on the verge of discovering something that could try and turn the war against the Grimm in our favor. Or so we hoped.

We headed down the corridor I pointed out, and we slowly started to see rooms, rooms that were open to expose their contents. One of them was an old lunchroom, if the heavily rusted remains of tables indicated, or it could've been a meeting room. The next room three doors down appeared to be a dorm room, with rusted remnants of beds and moldy sheets. A third doorway led to a massive armory, but that was now completely empty. Not even a single shell remained. At least at first glance. Tina and I took a risk of heading inside, as the ceiling looked like it was unstable, but once inside we discovered that the ceiling was in fact still structurally sound, and that it was one of the old gantries that looked like it would collapse at any moment. We did find a few marks on the floor where something tracked once stood, but when we accidentally startled a large colony of bats, we bolted out of the armory and back into the corridor.

From there we continued on, and we finally came to a set of doors that was locked tight. Or at least rusted shut. I looked to Tina, and she looked to me.

The beams from our lights did reveal the door was labeled, but we couldn't read it.

And yet the sign beneath had a familiar symbol on it that we knew all too well. The symbol of a Grimm shelter.

I slowly reached for my shield, and Tina hefted her rapier. "You sure about this?" she asked.

I shook my helm. "No. But we've come this far. So may as well see what's in here."

I drew out my Hyper Beam Sword and ignited the blade's beam emitters. Tina held her rapier for a thrust, and we both lunged for the door, driving our blades into the seam. She pulled one way, I pulled another, and the doors' rusted hinges groaned and squealed in protest. (I had to mute my audios it was so loud.) We pulled and shoved, finally managing to nudge the doors open enough for us to slip through sideways.

I poked my head in, and my lights shone on what appeared to be an old console of sorts. Much to my surprise, the screen flickered dimly, and there were others too, from what I could see. Some of the screens were dark, but others remained functional.

"Holy shit...!" I muttered.

Tina stuck her flashlight through the gap and she let out a few low swears in amazement.

This was _definitely_ not normal.

I sheathed my sword and grabbed onto one of the doors with both hands, pulling with my full strength. Even though I was much stronger due to my frame, I wasn't able to really pull the door open much wider than another six inches. But that was all that we needed to slip inside.

Tina entered first, and I followed.

Now we could see where we were. If the old consoles were anything to go by, this place was once a command center. And that also meant that this was either a base of some kind or an ancient Grimm shelter that was capable of defending itself against the Grimm Horde. I shone my lights around the room, taking in the ancient computers and equipment. Much of it was gone by now, rotted or rusted away into just remains. But the consoles still functioned. I found that to be rather interesting. I stepped closer to one of them and extended a hand, my metal fingertips just brushing the keys.

However, I wasn't expecting the console to flare into activation. I yelped and pulled my hand back as the console flashed, the screen coming online. Symbols flickered into existence, and then vanished, showing an ensign I wasn't familiar with. It wasn't like one of those old colony remains found elsewhere around the globe, that was for sure. This one looked more like it was a robotic face, and it was red in color. But beside it was a more unusual emblem. This one was bluish green, and it resembled an M, but also was sort of like a pentagon in a way.

Tina saw this and stepped closer. "What is that?" she asked.

I shrugged. "Beats me," I told her. "But whatever this place is... it was definitely an old military base..."

The emblems flickered before fading to show several different functions on the screen. I couldn't read the pictograms or symbols or whatever they were, but a familiar image beside one of the lines of symbols indicated that it was probably for the power supply for this base. The image depicted a reactor of sorts, and beside it flashed two sets of symbols. One of them was red, and the other was green. I took a guess that maybe the red was for power down, and green was for power on. Then again, it could've also been the other way around, but I wasn't about to guess on that one. So I just took a stab in the dark and hit one of the keys at random.

Surprisingly, the console flickered before it went dark.

"Shit..." I muttered.

"Way to go, Joseph! Now we're stuck here in the dark with no way out!" Tina grumbled. "I told you this was a bad i-" Her voice was cut off as a low rumble started to fill the old command center, and my optics flashed in surprise as I staggered, trying to stay upright.

But the base wasn't coming apart or anything of that nature. Instead, it was like... something was starting up. Something was sending power through the base. My head shot up to look at the ceiling as slowly lights started to flicker on, their brightness dim, but still able to illuminate the entire room - no, the entire base. I watched in fascination as slowly each of the consoles flickered, coming online one after another.

I suddenly winced as something akin to screeching static filled my audios and Tina clapped her hands over her ears. "What the hell is that?!" she shouted.

"How should I know?!" I hollered back.

The screeching slowly began to die down, and an unfamiliar voice echoed throughout the base.

" _Audial input verified. Language setting changed. Language Basic set as default. Welcome to Outpost Prima._ " The voice was distinctly male, but it held more of a metallic edge than my own. I lowered my hands from where they had covered my audios and I looked to Tina who also removed her hands from her ears.

"Okay..." Tina was in shock. "Joseph... I think we've stumbled onto something big..."

I nodded. "Yeah... Much bigger than we had anticipated..." I murmured in agreement.

The base where we had taken shelter was more than just an old military base. It was a military base designed by aliens. And none of the aliens that had perhaps built some of the ruins on Earth.

These were far more advanced than even those kinds. Whoever had built these... were not organic in _any_ way... They were apparently cybernetic in origin.

The only question was... were there any here, and if so, were they friendly...

Or a threat?

* * *

 **Name: Tina Hendricks**

 **Aura: Bioluminescent green**

 **Semblance: Enhancement**

 **Description: She is able to channel her Aura into her body or limbs to boost her stats, such as speed, agility, or strength. She can even channel it into her weapon to boost its cutting strength or impact**

 **Weapon: Rapier whip**

 **Description: A rapier that can extend into a chain whip, able to use different Dust canisters or crystals to cause damage accordingly. The blade itself is made out of a rare mineral, the exact kind that makes up Dracon's entire frame, enabling her to cut through almost anything.**


	7. Arc 0 - Hidden

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **(** _A scene of chaos is shown at the famous Navy Pier in Chicago as creatures bearing black skin and white bone plates attack the civilians, but then a youth decides to intervene in the fight, only to get injured severely._ **)**

 **Start Period - Fullmetal Alchemist OST**

 **(** _The boy is shown in a hospital, lying on a bed as the camera pans in on the flashing light before it fades to blackness._ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **At last we're here at the half way point** **(** _A pair of violet optics flash online as the screen pans out to show a dark blue colored mecha with a pair of draconic wings on the back as he stands atop a building in a city surrounded by mountains._ **)**

 **In the heart of our endless journey** **(** _The mecha flares his wings and takes flight as he draws out a sword from his shield, charging at an imposing black Grimm with large wings and scars across its body._ **)**

 **At last, while everything still is calm (** _As the two collide a flash of light is shown to reveal a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes looking at the camera, a rapier in her left hand as she holds a Dust canister in her right._ **)**

 **Take a deep breath (** _She swings her sword, only for it to extend into a whip as it swirls with wind around it, curtesy of the wind Dust in the chamber._ **)**

 **We both have just began to grasp it (** _The wind engulfs the screen only to vanish as fire surrounds a sword, the camera panning out to show a redheaded woman with a fiery sword in her grasp._ **)**

 **But it's slipped out of our hands (** _The woman slashes with her sword as the camera follows the shockwave before it hits a wasp-like Grimm, incinerating it before the camera is engulfed in flames._ **)**

 **And we will learn from those fragile mistakes (** _The flames vanish as the camera moves up and out of them, showing a city under siege. **)**_

 **'til nothing stands in our way (** _The city defenses struggle to keep the Grimm Horde at bay, only to be aided by two more figures, one of them leaping into the air and firing a Dust-laced rocket from a rocket launcher at the closest Grimm._ **)**

 **An unbreakable bond will forever link our hearts (** _The two figures land, one of them being a man wearing a trench coat and behind him appears a buxom woman in shadow as beside him stands a woman with a hammer in one hand, her gaze locked onto the sky above them._ **)**

 **There's no spell, no hell, that will undo us (** _The camera pivots to show the two from the side and then from the front, only this time they stand beside the mecha and other two women as they stand in front of a large metallic structure._ **)**

 **We have made it here at last (** _The fortress is shown in all its glory, cybernetic organisms lurking around it and several of them aim at the camera as two sinister green optics appear behind the scene, flaring brightly._ **)**

 **In this never ending dance (** _The light envelops the camera only for it to vanish as the scene shows a woman with blonde hair and a man with a slightly darker shade of blonde hair standing in front of the mountain city, the others landing beside them._ **)**

 **And we'll live through us the period of time (** _The group lunges at the screen, weapons drawn as more Grimm attack._ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Cybernetic Organisms_

 _The very idea of cybernetic organisms - otherwise known as cyborgs - has been a fascination since the day they were conceived in the minds of children and science-fiction writers through the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. But many have claimed it to be nothing than mere fantasy or a pipe dream. To others, the idea has been met with disgust, and in some cases, fascination and awe. As technology has advanced, so too have the chances of real cyborgs coming into existence. But there is an issue with this: those that are half machine, and half organic, may be faced with discrimination._

 _But not all cyborgs can be classified as such. In the case of Dracon, he is not half machine and half man. He is a Gundam, which is on a far different level above a mere cyborg. His human mind has basically been transformed into software, but retains the ability to feel emotions. That makes his mental capabilities far greater than those of a cybernetic organism, which may lose their ability to think creatively and to feel emotions as their bodies are more integrated with their new hardware and processing units._

 _Cyborgs generally tend to run rampant if they start to acquire more logic than humanity. During the fighting against the Grimm in recent years, there have been numerous Hunters who have lost limbs or body parts to the Grimm Horde. So they often have to get cybernetic prosthetics which are connected directly into the brain. However, as a downside, these wounded warriors often have a processing unit installed in their brain as well to store data on how the limb functions and moves. This was an idea that was pioneered by Dr. Torenov Y. Minovsky and a colleague, Dr. James T. Ionesco. Minovsky initially proposed not inserting physical hardware into the brain, but turning the very mind itself into data to store inside a central processor within a combat frame, thereby taking out the human body from the equation, but allowing the human subject to retain their humanity instead of losing it._

 _However..._

 _Ionesco took a different approach to what Minovsky was proposing._

 _He theorized that to properly combat the Grimm, humanity had to transcend their current physical mental limits._

 _He wished to have the human race become cyborgs._

 _Minovsky was horrified at his colleague's suggestion and thereby cut all ties with the man, taking with him his research notes on the revolutionary Minovsky nuclear fusion reactor. Ionesco was infuriated by this and retreated from society for the next twenty years, becoming something of a recluse in the Darklands. He was never heard from again until several students at a nearby Hunter academy went missing._

 _It was then that Minovsky got an ultimatum from his former colleague: surrender or be terminated. The scientist's worst fears had come true._

 _The scientist feared for his life. So when a group of shadowy figures approached, he was forced to run. However, as he was fleeing through the woods near the Darklands, he was rescued by a group of armed guards who happened to be working for the Vist Foundation. The Foundation was currently in the middle of an excavation of a meteorite close by, and upon seeing the face of the world's most renowned nuclear physicist, they put aside all doubt and rushed to aide the man. The guards happened to be Hunters as well, which was what allowed Minovsky to survive the attack. The attackers turned out to be half human and half machine, something which horrified the personnel at the site. Dr. Cardias Vist, who happened to be at the site to analyze the metal of the meteorite, learned of the feud between him and Ionesco, and offered him employment at his company, which happened to manufacture robotic limbs and weapons for Huntsmen and Huntresses alike._

 _The physicist took up the job and with the assistance of the Foundation, laid the groundwork for Project: GUNDAM._

 _But it was not to last. Dr. Minovsky was attacked at his lab several years after the project was underway, and the security forces present wound up engaging the ex-researcher Ionesco in a fierce firefight. But Ionesco was no longer completely human. And he had mustered an army of five thousand soldiers to do his bidding: soldiers he had enhanced with cybernetics into proper cyborgs. And each one was connected to him. The fight lasted three weeks, destroying the lab and wounding Minovsky severely. The old scientist was able to complete his last work, though, and handed off the plans for an ultra compact nuclear fusion reactor to Dr. Vist. The security forces were able to finish off the majority of the cyborgs wielded by Dr. Ionesco, only for him to retreat back into the Darklands._

 _He has never been seen since._

 _Dr. Minovsky lived through his wounds, but he has now been confined to a wheelchair. Yet this does little to stop his ever brilliant mind._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Man and machine are two different things. But sometimes people often wonder if technology will allow for a fusion between them. That is both wondrous and disturbing on many levels. For one thing, what would constitute a human at that point?" TOM lectured as he closed up the Cybernetic Organisms file. "Would a human be one that is all flesh and blood, or mostly flesh and blood? Would they be even able to consider themselves as such? Or would they start to see themselves as only machines and no flesh and blood, regardless if they have organic parts or not? That is an ethical question that has spawned numerous nightmares of debates." He stood up from his seat on the bridge and gestured to his frame. "Or is being human the capacity to feel emotions? That is up for you to decide. Even cybernetic organisms can have feelings too."

* * *

I was worried.

The base we were in was completely alien in its origins and functions.

But it was shelter, and that was enough reason for us to stay here.

And yet... there was a small sense of dread surfacing the longer we stayed here. Were any of the original inhabitants still present here? Or were they all dead or offline?

I gulped audibly as I looked around the old command center.

I had to admit, this was something that was even more impressive than I expected. True some of the ruins that recent archaeological expeditions uncovered were old, but _these_ ruins predated those by a large margin! And the tech inside was still functional to boot! This was truly a piece of alien engineering.

But as to whether or not anything still lived here was what prevented us from celebrating the biggest archaeological find in world history. I swept my gaze over the different consoles and slowly approached the next one.

My fingertips ran over the keys and the voice from before echoed over the base speakers again. " _Input detected. Switching language settings to default._ "

The keys - which had only moments before been dark - flickered and the alien symbols covering them vanished, to be replaced with good old American English. I gaped in shock before the screens began to show the same change taking place.

At least now we could read it.

"Holy crap...!" Tina breathed as she looked at one of the consoles' screens. The one she was currently at was showing a map of the base, and most of it was pure red, indicating either damage or disuse. I approached the console and joined her.

"This is incredible..." I whispered.

Tina nodded, turning to look at me.

"Just how long has this place been here?" she asked.

I shrugged. "No clue..." I murmured.

I finally looked at the schematics of the base again, and this time my optics roamed over it. "But one thing I do now. Whoever or whatever was here is no longer present. This base is so old I doubt anyone still exists here."

I touched a few keys, and the screen shifted to show the lower levels of the base. They were in the same condition as the upper levels, but there was also a part that was flashing a purplish red. I guessed it had to be the reactor. Too bad the security cameras were all down.

A few taps later and I finally gave up at reactivating them. There was no way we could do so. The reactor was starting to run out of juice.

"Well, may as well explore a bit more and see what we can find," I remarked. "At least in terms of survival and weaponry."

Tina nodded and we both left the command center.

The base was _huge_. That much I had gotten from the maps, but as we started to explore it, it soon became clear just _how_ large it was. There were all kinds of corridors and side passages that led into areas that were sealed off, etc. I tried my best to make a mental map, but it was just damn near impossible, so I gave up and resorted to making marks on the walls with my beam tonfas.

I had to admit, I was getting creeped out in this place. The further we ventured underground, the more sinister the place became. Roots were now starting to barely poke through the walls, from what I could see. A shudder raced through my frame as I gripped my beam magnum in my hands. As we wandered though, it soon became clear that this was not just _any_ military base.

From what I had seen, and what we were encountering, it was a military base of the utmost importance. The only reason I could think of was it was some kind of top secret research facility. To further confirm my theory, we came across what appeared to be an old research lab. The only problem? The doors were locked. I did some fiddling around with the wiring of the keypad, and a few minutes later the door hissed open.

And we stumbled right into a setting fit for a horror film.

The lab seemed like something right out of a sci-fi horror flick, with the usual Tesla coils and some old computer bits. But what really threw me for a loop was not the presence of men or women being dissected here, but the very presence of _Grimm_ that were actually preserved in some kind of fluid. My optics actually did widen at the sight of the Grimm. There were many different types, ranging from Creeps to Ursa Grimm. There was even a type that I wasn't familiar with, as it resembled more of a beetle with its bony blade scythes and carapace.

My optics roamed over the collection, and I had to admit, I was impressed. The fact that these ancient alien lifeforms had managed to _preserve_ the Grimm was a miracle in its own right, and from the data pads littering the place, it became clear that they had also been researching them for some reason.

Tina was in shock as she slowly approached one of the containers, pressing a hand to the glass. "Holy crap..." she breathed. "What the hell _is_ this place?"

I made a noise akin to a snort. "Beats me. But it seems like whoever built this place was studying the Grimm. And their preservation efforts are _far_ ahead of what we can do... which isn't much," I remarked. I joined her and folded my arms across my chest. "To be honest, it's both impressive and chilling at once."

"But why do this? Why research the Grimm? What was their motive?" Tina asked as she turned to look at me.

"I have no idea," I admitted. "But maybe if we do some more searching, we'll find the answers."

She nodded and pulled her hand away from the chamber. The two of us started looking around the lab for any reason for this preservation and research of Grimm. True we were doing our own research in this day and age, but we still didn't have enough knowledge. And if this place was any indicator, then maybe whoever - or _whatever_ \- had lived here knew more than we did.

At least that's what we hoped.

What we found amidst the files was that there was information all right. Information on exactly _how_ they came into existence, how they functioned, and even information on the _Fallen_ , of all things. Most of it was corrupted data, but the fact that such things existed was a serious boon for us. As I knelt and picked up one of the data pads, my optics flashed in realization as I looked at it.

If we could get this back to GrimmFall... then maybe they could piece this data back together and we could figure out how to best combat the Fallen based on this data!

Tina and I had just hit the motherlode of all information.

"Tina..." I looked to her as she finished stowing a data pad in her backpack. "Do you realize what we stumbled on?"

She turned to look at me. "Aside from this data mine?" A smirk was on her face. "We hit the jackpot."

"Not just that," I added, holding up the data pad with information on the Fallen. "We hit the data motherlode for information on the Fallen!"

Her eyes widened. "What? Are you..." She trailed off for a moment before she shook her head. "Are you _serious!?_ " she blurted. "Are you _friggin' serious?!_ "

I nodded. "I am. True most of the data is corrupted and in an alien language, but it's there! It's _there_ , Tina! All the information we needed... it's right here!" My vocalizer was filled with excitement. "And that means if we can piece this together... we'll have an edge against the Fallen!"

At first, she was in disbelief. But then, slowly but surely, a small smile began to creep across her face. "That...That's... This is just what we've been looking for!" she exclaimed. "Maybe now we can figure out how exactly the Fallen are formed!"

I nodded happily. "You betcha!"

Of course, that was only the tip of what we were about to uncover.

Regardless, our spirits were much higher after that discovery. So we decided to keep hunting for more information that could be of use to us. We left the research lab and continued to make our way down into the depths of the base. Not even the eerie atmosphere could dampen our spirits now.

We finally stopped as we came to a large intersection of hallways, or more like a hub of sorts. I groaned to myself. "Oh, great. Now which way?"

The two of us stood there, gazing at each one, and in front of several of these hallways lay rusting hunks of metal and debris. I backed away from one of them nervously as some of the components looked like they had faces on them...

Wait...

 _Faces?!_

I yelped and leapt as far back as I could, startling Tina as a result. She whirled around, her rapier flying into her hand and a Dust vial spinning into place within its chamber. I had my hand on my chest at that point, my reactor whirring loudly beneath my chest armor in my terror and shock. "Geez, Joseph! You scared me!" she gasped.

"Sorry..." I muttered in a raspy tone. "I just didn't..." I gulped before I shook my helm.

I finally turned back to the pile of metal and studied it carefully. From what I could see, there were five faces visible, and no doubt many others buried underneath the metal pile. A further examination revealed them to be limbs and bodies, torsos and heads, all rusted and decaying right in front of us. I slowly inched closer to one of them and reached out a metallic fingertip. I gave the head closest to me a poke before pulling my hand back rather quickly.

The face was as still as death itself. I gulped again as I looked around.

Now that we were closer to the piles of scrap, I could see that they were made up of the bodies and frames of small, human-sized robots. And each one appeared to have a secondary mode as well. On top of that, some of them had a faded, rusting red logo that I recognized as being the same one on the monitor we had seen. And the rest had the greenish colored M on them as well. For some reason, I wondered if there had been a war or infighting, or if something else had happened, like a plague of some kind or whatever. The mere thought of that one vanished as quickly as it came; I was no longer human, so why did I have to worry about a plague?

Still, the very presence of all these dead robots was enough to give me the willies.

Tina slowly shone her flashlight down one of the other corridors, and frowned a bit. "Hey, Joseph..." Her tone caught my audio and I turned to look at her.

"Yeah?" I asked. "What is it?"

"Check this out." Tina knelt close to something dripping onto the floor, and I joined her.

My optics flashed in surprise as I recognized the color. "That's the same kind of fluid those Grimm were preserved in!" I breathed.

She nodded. "Yes. Which means that we're close to something big."

I got the idea and looked down the corridor. The darkened length only made me shiver and Tina stood up. I got to my own feet and we both began to wander down the corridor. It was entirely dark down here, with no light, save for my helm- and shoulder-mounted lights and Tina's flashlight. It was creepy.

We kept walking for about an hour before we came upon two huge doors, both of them mostly rusted through, I-beams halfway collapsed through the ceiling and a few dozen wires hanging loosely across the doorway. Some of them even still sparked faintly. My optics dimmed a shade at that. "Dammit. Looks like we can't go any further," I muttered.

"Maybe... or maybe not," Tina mused as she looked at where two I-beams lay at an angle. The gap in between them wasn't very large, but if I kept my wings folded against my back, then it was possible for even me to slip through. Tina made her way over to the hole and stuck her upper body through. For a moment, it looked as if she had gotten stuck, and I moved to try and assist her, but then she wriggled and squirmed until her long legs disappeared into the blackness beyond. I shivered at the comparison to a dark void. I slowly clambered up after and poked my own head through.

I could barely see her lean body as she wandered around in the darkness, her location only revealed by the glow of her flashlight. I grunted as I stuck my arm through the gap, twisting and wriggling my frame as best I could. My shoulders were barely able to squeeze through - I had forgotten to deactivate my psychoframe - the gap due to how close the beams were to me, but I managed. I kept my wings pinned tight against my back and I managed to turn around so I could use my strength to haul the rest of my frame through. It was a tight fit, but I got through.

I finally got to my feet and looked around, my optics taking in the dark chamber in awe.

Right in front of us was a huge object that pulsed with a dim red light. The way wires and piping snaked out of it indicated that this was none other than the main reactor for this alien base. Yet the way the energy seethed in its middle was anything but friendly. I shivered and gulped.

"Hey, Joseph!" Tina's voice called out to me from the blackness and I gasped. I scrambled down the pile of debris and rubble until I reached the floor and ran in the direction of her voice. I used my sensors to home in on her Aura signature, which was a godsend in this case. I finally approached her location, spotting the glow of her light.

"Tina!" I called. "What's wrong?"

"I..." I heard her gulp. "I think you have to see this..."

I came over to her location and stood right beside her, only to gasp in surprise, shock, disgust, and horror all at once.

And I had good reason, too. Because we were both staring at what appeared to be a dead robot, but _fused_ with the base itself. Or rather, more like parts had been melded into the limbs to the point they weren't even limbs anymore. My frame shuddered against my will and I gulped. But what really threw me for a loop was the fact that this robot was still online. And still _functional_.

"Sweet Glob..." I whispered, my optics widening in shock. "What...what _is_ this...?"

The robot in front of us seemed to hear our words because the head slowly lifted itself, and the optics pulsed with the same red light as in the reactor's core, but much brighter. The mouth didn't move, and around us the voice from before resonated, and then I realized with dread that this mech was the source of that voice.

" _So... you have finally come,_ " he said through the base speakers. " _I was aware you were hunting around for me._ "

"N-Not really..." I squeaked.

A chuckle came from around us. " _No need to worry. I was observing you from the moment you arrived here. It's not that often I have visitors._ " The mech's mouth curved upward in a smirk, something that fascinated me, but I ignored it. " _Actually, truthfully, you two are the first visitors to this place in five hundred years. No one, aside from the one known as Sammael, has been here since those days._ "

"Wait... Sammael... you know of him?" Tina asked.

The mech nodded his head. " _Yes. He is the one who led the last attack on our base._ " Then his optics seemed to narrow. " _He is the one who we have been striving to find a way to defeat, as he is a threat to all of you in this world. I assume you saw the research lab?_ "

"Yes. We found all kinds of data pertaining to Grimm and the Fallen," I said. "But it's been corrupted."

" _We did that on purpose to keep others from discovering what we have learned,_ " the mech explained. " _But we did not expect it to be so completely corrupted as to be unsalvageable even by our technological standards._ " A sigh came from the speakers. " _Regardless, our efforts have not proven to be in vain if you found it._ "

"Just who are you, anyway?" Tina asked. "And how long have you been here? What is your purpose for being here?"

" _A tale like that will take eons to tell,_ " the mech remarked. " _But for your sake, I shall try to condense it into what little time I have left. First off, to answer your inquiry as to who I am, my name was Orion Prima. I was the commander of this base during its operation. And as you have surmised, I am an alien robot. More specifically, a robotic alien from another planet. A planet millions of light years from your own, one that was inhabited by others of my kind._ "

Tina's eyes went wide and my optics flashed in surprise. A whole civilization of alien robots from another planet?! What else in this world lay undiscovered?

"T _he group I was a part of... the Autobots, short for autonomous robots... they were one of two factions involved in a fierce civil war that raged for millions of stellar cycles. The other faction was known as the Decepticons, and they sought to conquer others who couldn't fight back,_ " Orion said seriously. His tone seemed to take on a sadness that I was familiar with, and I felt a pang of sympathy in my reactor at that. I discreetly clenched a fist over my chest as he continued. " _The leaders of both sides wanted to find a means to end the fighting, which had devolved into a war of attrition. Neither side could outdo the other. At least until another kind of robotic organism was found to have arrived on my home planet of Cybertron: the Minicons._ "

"Minicons?" Tina cocked an eyebrow.

Orion nodded. " _Yes. The Minicons were not just allies, but they were also tools. By combining with them through a process known as Powerlinking, we Autobots and Decepticons alike could become stronger. It seemed like the war would never end. At least until a ceasefire was called._ " His optics dimmed a bit. " _That ceasefire came after a fierce battle in which one of the thirteen ancient Cybertronians, the first Thirteen Primes, came to us to inform us of a disturbance in the time stream. Vector Prime, the Keeper of Space and Time, was not one to take lightly, as his words carried great weight, even amongst the Decepticon leadership._ "

I was stunned. A Cybertronian of such power... If that were the case... then maybe...

However, Orion's words cut into my thoughts, interrupting my musings.

" _As I was saying, Vector Prime's words carried great weight, so any and all of us Cybertronians heeded them with great caution and respect. But this time, his warning was dire. He told the leadership of both sides a grim tale of war, suffering, and unimaginable chaos. He informed us that it was from a source that originated at the beginning of the very universe's creation, but then he informed us of a great calamity that forever changed the time stream. A great evil appeared and altered this... Primordial Darkness... giving birth to the creatures you now know as_ Grimm," Orion continued. " _So both sides agreed to a ceasefire and decided to send a team down to this world to investigate this calamity. However..._ "

We both waited for him to continue.

" _However..._ " He seemed to become weaker for a moment before he let out a shuddering gasp. " _However, upon arrival, it soon became clear just how much things were changing. Grimm were everywhere, and the primitive inhabitants of this world were struggling to merely survive._ "

My optics widened as I realized the implications. "Hold on... You... You were _there?!_ " I blurted in shock. "You were there during the Forgotten Age?!"

Orion's lips curled upward into a smirk. " _Yes... But not much else survives from that era of history aside from ruins, including these._ " Then his face became serious once more. " _And alas... once I pass on, there will be no record of the era left. So in effect, I am a living relic of that long forgotten age. But my time is short, so I cannot tell you much about it._ "

Both Tina and I looked at one another in realization and nodded. "Continue then," Tina said softly.

Orion nodded. " _As you wish. My ship and I arrived at this very site where we set up a colony. It wasn't very big at first, and it turned out that our defenses were at first no match for the Grimm. They didn't kill us, but they did wound us and force us to use up precious resources healing ourselves until more arrived from across the stars to assist us. We began studying this world and its inhabitants, but not for sinister or malicious intent like so many others intended to do. One of those that we fought against were the Gems of Homeworld, a very militaristic and arrogant race when it comes to dealing with, in their words, 'measly organics'._ " His optics seemed to pulse a deeper red at the thought of them.

" _We refused to take part in the war, because by the time it broke out, we had been here for hundreds of thousands of stellar cycles. We had seen many civilizations rise and fall, but not all were the same. One of these races was akin to our own kind, but they were forced to abandon this world for a new one. We helped them prepare a new type of spacebridge that they then destroyed, but not before they gifted us with the knowledge of how to preserve Grimm we had captured and wounded in battle. This allowed us to study their physiology, and therefore learn more about how their bodies worked, as well as the substance that they were made up of._ " Orion sighed. " _But... it was only much later that we learned of the Fallen, and the Fallen known as Sammael learned of us._ "

"That would explain the bodies..." I murmured, recalling the dead bots.

" _Yes. His attack came seven hundred stellar cycles ago. He found out about our efforts to curtail the Grimm, and launched an attack on us. But he was smart. He found out about how we were keeping the base operational and cut off our energon supply. That sealed our fate. We had only enough energon to last for two hundred stellar cycles on strict rationing, and that, combined with the constant attacks on this place, forced us to abandon our positions and move inward. But infighting also took its toll. Only myself and a few others remained alive. So to keep the base going for as long as possible, we elected to use one of us as a proxy. I elected to be that proxy, so that this base could remain online as long as possible._ " Orion's words seemed to be heavy as I realized what he had just done. He had basically consigned himself to be a prisoner here eternally, or at least until someone else came along so he could pass on this information to them.

" _The procedure lasted several of your stellar cycles. By the time it was done, only I was left. My compatriots and friends had died, leaving me alone as the sole survivor of this outpost._ " The mech paused before continuing his tale. " _Thankfully Sammael thought we all had perished. He did not expect me to continue to function. But it was only a matter of time before he found me anyway. And yet... it seems like fate had a hand to play in all of this..._ " He chuckled weakly. " _Or perhaps not... Who knows how fate works?_ "

"So... you were waiting for someone to come so you could give them this data... and tell us this whole story?" I asked.

Orion's optics flickered dimly. " _Yes. And so you can understand just how to combat the Grimm and Fallen more effectively. In the coming war, you will need... all... the weapons... you... can... get..._ "

His voice began to fade in and out, and we both realized what this meant. Orion was dying.

" _You... must go... now. This base... will soon... lose power... Once I die... you will be trapped here... forever... So... go... now...!_ " Orion gasped out.

Both of us looked at one another, then turned and ran for it.

* * *

We both made it out of the base and in the nick of time. The entire entrance began to shudder as the doors started to close. I shot a glance back over my shoulder and shuddered at the thought of what could've happened had we not made it out in time.

Truthfully, what we had experienced was nothing short of something out of an old horror flick. But at the same time, if the heaviness of the data pads in Tina's backpack was any indicator, it had been all too real.

We managed to leave the ruins behind, and we began venturing even deeper into the Darklands. If something like those ancient Cybertronian ruins existed, then surely there had to be others, right? Well, we were right on so many counts. But that is for later in this tale. Right now, we had to find our way back to modern civilization. But of course, we still didn't know _why_ Jaxon sent us into the Darklands.

That was enough to raise red flags again.

I stopped. "Tina, hold on."

Tina stopped as well and looked back at me. "Hm? Something wrong, Joseph?"

I nodded. "Yeah. While we did find stuff that could be of use, we still don't know _why_ Jaxon sent us here. It's... it's almost like-"

I was cut off as a loud screeching tore into her ears and my audio sensors.

My radar kicked into action, scanning all around us as the sound of wings buzzing filled the air. I looked around, my optics flashing as I gripped my beam magnum and removed it from my flight pack. "Oh, shit...!" I muttered. "We got Lancers!"

"These Grimm always get me pissed!" Tina muttered. "Especially given their projectile attacks!"

I nodded at that. "Tell me about it!" I grumbled. My least favorite memory of the Lancers happened at Laplace Community College and involved an attack while my team and I had been on a mission. The four of us - Danielle aka "Dan" Willis, Nick Mallory, me, and Rachel Coupe - encountered a large cluster of them while they attacked a nearby cargo plane, and we had no choice but to get involved. We were lucky, actually. Most of our attacks had missed the Grimm, and despite having a targeting system, my ranged attacks had done little to get their attention. At least until I went all out and used my Dracon funnels to get their attention.

I forced the memory files back into the depths of my processor as I gripped my weapon and Tina held her rapier at the ready.

The Lancers emerged from the depths of the trees, circling around us like so many flies to a rotting corpse. The imagery was actually fitting, given where we were. I gulped a bit and Tina tensed behind me. The Lancers dove down at us, their wings buzzing like so many drones. I tensed as the Grimm came in hard and fast. What I _didn't_ expect, least of all anticipate, was the sudden coordination as they attempted to cut us off. I aimed my magnum and Tina held her rapier for an attack as she snapped it into its whip configuration.

The first Lancer launched its attack, using its stinger like a harpoon. I swiftly rolled to the side as the stinger embedded itself into the ground, firing off my magnum at the creature not even a second after that. My shot missed, but it did stir them to activity as a few more dove towards us, intent on ramming both of us hard. I spread my wings and kicked on my flight pack as Tina's Aura flared into action. We both scattered, with me getting airborne and Tina leaping aside with her enhanced agility. That saved our lives as a few more stingers embedded themselves where we had been a few seconds ago.

I spun around and deployed my fin funnels to try and attack them from afar while Tina spun the Dust chamber on her rapier whip to land on fire Dust. She snapped it and a blast of fire was sent right for one of the Lancers. I mentally ordered my fin funnels to fire at the same time, and the pinkish beams lanced out, striking three Lancers in the chest, abdomen and head. They vanished into smoke as the one Tina had scorched fell to the ground, dissipating into black fog as soon as it hit. I glanced back at her, only to gape as a Lancer lunged at her from behind!

I whirled around and kicked on my flight pack to full output, charging in and angling myself so my shield was in front of my frame. I slammed into that Lancer, and when I say, slammed, I slammed into that thing _hard_! The impact was so powerful that I swore I had broken one of the hydraulics in my arm because I heard a cracking sound. The force of the impact caused me to tumble out of the air and land on the ground, several of my fin funnels landing beside me as I lost focus on then. I glanced up, only to stare in shock at the large crack running down the Lancer's skull and armor plating. I quickly ran a self diagnostic and my frame flashed green with only a few minor dents and dings. No real damage to my internal systems.

I sighed with relief before Tina was right beside me, her face bright red at the sight of what I had done. "What were you _thinking?!_ " she blurted, using her rapier whip to block another Lancer from impaling me in the chest.

"Sorry!" I grunted as I rolled over and got to my feet. "I wasn't thinking."

Still, seeing her expression was well worth the stupidity of the move, I later realized.

I finally aimed my magnum again and willed my fin funnels to reattach to my wings. I wasn't about to go losing those any time soon.

I fired off a charge shot as Tina unleashed a powerful gust of wind from her rapier whip, the color of the wind Dust glimmering in the light of my helm- and shoulder-mounted lights. I had completely forgotten to turn them off, so it was a good thing I had them on. It at least allowed us to see the Lancers better. Otherwise we'd be fighting blind. Or rather, Tina would, as my sensors allowed me to see in a majority of environments, including pitch black darkness.

That was the very reason why I refused to shut them off, mostly because I didn't want Tina fighting blind in this darkness.

The Lancers kept up the attack, but together me and Tina were able to finish them off.

We both stood in the middle of that darkened clearing, panting heavily. My armor was scraped and nicked, but none of my internal components and systems had been damaged, so I was lucky. Tina had a few scrapes that oozed blood, but for the most part she was okay, too.

I sighed in relief as we finally lowered our weapons.

Tina looked at me out of the corner of her eye for a moment before she turned to face me. "Joseph...?"

I turned to face her. "Yeah?"

"What you did... while it was stupid, it was also very sweet," she said with a small smile. "Thank you."

I swore my vocalizer failed to function at that moment. Instead, all I managed to emit was a squeak of surprise as she approached and lightly patted my faceplate with one hand before she turned and started to walk away. For some reason, I found myself staring at her backside. (She had very nice legs, I had to admit.) But I tore myself away from those thoughts and followed after her. "Wait up!"

As we continued on, things began to get darker and darker. Now I knew why they called this place the Darklands. We finally came to a stop and decided to make camp for the night (at least according to my internal clock, which I was _grateful_ to have at that point.) Tina set up the tent while I hunted around for firewood. There was much of it, and I had to admit, the very environment around us seemed to be more suited for a horror film than real life.

My entire frame was tense as I rejoined her at the campsite. She grabbed the firewood and after a bit of fiddling around and a quick crack of her rapier whip and some fire Dust, she had a bright fire burning. I sat down beside her as she slithered closer to me, wrapping her arms around her legs and shivering. "Sorry. It's just I prefer to have someone close to me if I'm in the Darklands or even close to them..." she murmured.

"It's okay. I understand how it is," I told her as I wrapped an arm around her protectively. I even furled my wings around us a bit.

She looked at me like I was nuts. "You're a bit bold," she murmured, a small smile crossing her face.

"Bold? How so?" I asked in genuine confusion.

She smirked a bit and inched closer, tracing a hand down my chest. "Aw, c'mon. Don't play dumb," she purred, sending a shudder through my frame with the tone of her voice. Was she... _flirting_ with me?!

I blushed deeply at the implications and pulled away. "Sorry..." I muttered trying to cover up the cracking in my voice with a cough.

Tina smirked a bit and giggled before she turned her gaze back to the fire. "I guess I couldn't help myself," she muttered. "It's been hectic as of late, and with the fact we have no idea as to why we're even here... it's just been stressful."

"So flirting was your way of releasing it?" I asked her. "Because it sure seemed serious to me."

"I said I was sorry," Tina remarked. She looked at me with one of her blue eyes. "Plus, you're a nice guy, despite your imposing appearance." She smiled slightly. "And I like that about you. You've got a heart of gold, Joseph. Even if you refuse to admit it."

I blushed at that. "Um... thanks?" I squeaked.

She giggled. "Have to admit, this is quite ironic. A machine and a woman... who'd have thought it would be like this."

Memories of Orion came to my processor and I briefly found myself wondering if he had passed peacefully. My hand slowly drifted for the data pads in her backpack as it rested between us, but I stayed my hand and drew it back. I could only wonder if there was any reason for us being here. It was just... so weird to be here without any idea as to what we were doing here to begin with.

"Hey, Tina," I began. "Why do you think we were sent here?"

"Hm? Why?" She pursed her lips as she drew a bit closer to me. "Well... honestly, nothing comes to my mind. Why?"

"Because it's so strange to be here without any orders of any kind. No objective, no nothing. It's almost as if Jaxon has something to hide..." I mused. "Or is up to something. Because think about it. I mean... back during that fight, with the Nevermore and those Griffons? The City Guard should've had the advantage, and instead, he puts half-trained civilians on the line with them. Is he holding back for some reason? Or is there something more sinister going on?"

There was no answer.

Just the crackling of the flames answered me.


	8. Arc 0 - Danger Rises 1

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **(** _A scene of chaos is shown at the famous Navy Pier in Chicago as creatures bearing black skin and white bone plates attack the civilians, but then a youth decides to intervene in the fight, only to get injured severely._ **)**

 **Start Period - Fullmetal Alchemist OST**

 **(** _The boy is shown in a hospital, lying on a bed as the camera pans in on the flashing light before it fades to blackness._ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **At last we're here at the half way point** **(** _A pair of violet optics flash online as the screen pans out to show a dark blue colored mecha with a pair of draconic wings on the back as he stands atop a building in a city surrounded by mountains._ **)**

 **In the heart of our endless journey** **(** _The mecha flares his wings and takes flight as he draws out a sword from his shield, charging at an imposing black Grimm with large wings and scars across its body._ **)**

 **At last, while everything still is calm (** _As the two collide a flash of light is shown to reveal a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes looking at the camera, a rapier in her left hand as she holds a Dust canister in her right._ **)**

 **Take a deep breath (** _She swings her sword, only for it to extend into a whip as it swirls with wind around it, curtesy of the wind Dust in the chamber._ **)**

 **We both have just began to grasp it (** _The wind engulfs the screen only to vanish as fire surrounds a sword, the camera panning out to show a redheaded woman with a fiery sword in her grasp._ **)**

 **But it's slipped out of our hands (** _The woman slashes with her sword as the camera follows the shockwave before it hits a wasp-like Grimm, incinerating it before the camera is engulfed in flames._ **)**

 **And we will learn from those fragile mistakes (** _The flames vanish as the camera moves up and out of them, showing a city under siege. **)**_

 **'til nothing stands in our way (** _The city defenses struggle to keep the Grimm Horde at bay, only to be aided by two more figures, one of them leaping into the air and firing a Dust-laced rocket from a rocket launcher at the closest Grimm._ **)**

 **An unbreakable bond will forever link our hearts (** _The two figures land, one of them being a man wearing a trench coat and behind him appears a buxom woman in shadow as beside him stands a woman with a hammer in one hand, her gaze locked onto the sky above them._ **)**

 **There's no spell, no hell, that will undo us (** _The camera pivots to show the two from the side and then from the front, only this time they stand beside the mecha and other two women as they stand in front of a large metallic structure._ **)**

 **We have made it here at last (** _The fortress is shown in all its glory, cybernetic organisms lurking around it and several of them aim at the camera as two sinister green optics appear behind the scene, flaring brightly._ **)**

 **In this never ending dance (** _The light envelops the camera only for it to vanish as the scene shows a woman with blonde hair and a man with a slightly darker shade of blonde hair standing in front of the mountain city, the others landing beside them._ **)**

 **And we'll live through us the period of time (** _The group lunges at the screen, weapons drawn as more Grimm attack._ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Dr. James T. Ionesco_

 _Dr. James T. Ionesco is perhaps one of the gravest threats to humankind as we know it, aside from Sammael and the Fallen, of course._

 _Born in a small village in Asia, he immigrated to America with his family when he was only fifteen months old. His parents settled in a small town close to GrimmFall, which by this point was starting to make a name for itself through the numbers of Grimm slain at its borders. The massive city proved to be a haven for this small child, who it turned out was a genius when it came to robotics. He made friends with a younger Algernop Kriegar, who was a brilliant prodigy in his own right. The two went to school together, becoming well renowned in their respective fields, except Kriegar was more of a polymath when he pushed his brilliant mind. The last member of the little group turned out to be Dr. Torenov Y. Minovsky, who was researching nuclear physics at the time._

 _But the friendship was not to last. Kriegar went rogue, becoming a man who lacked any formal doctorate, but becoming accomplished in many sciences. The two men never heard from him again. When Dr. Minovsky, who had by then begun to research strange new particle physics, proposed working together to come up with a new type of fusion reactor, the robotics engineer gladly accepted the proposal. They delved into the research together, perfecting and testing the new prototype reactor in an old workshop Ionesco managed to procure through his studies and apprenticeship at DexLabs. The reactor was a success, but Minovsky decided to try and work on refining it, as he had big plans for it._

 _Ionesco was baffled when he proposed his new plan for future Hunters fighting against Grimm. The idea of robotic limbs and exoskeletons was one thing, but he wanted to allow a human to retain their original selves inside such a frame. Ionesco was against such an idea from the start. In fact, having seen the relative success of the robotic limbs he and his partner put forward to the medical community, he wanted to see humans evolve into a perfect blend of human and machine._

 _He envisioned an army of cyborgs, designed to combat the Grimm alone._

 _Minovsky of course was horrified by the idea, since, being as brilliant as he was, he feared the worst._

 _He feared of a cyborg revolution. He denounced all ties with Ionesco and fled, leaving with his research notes in hand. Ionesco retreated into the Darklands, deciding to take matters into his own hands._

 _It is unknown how he was able to acquire the materials for his own conversion into a battle-ready cyborg, let alone enough sources to create an army of five thousand, but some argue that maybe Dr. Kriegar had a hand in it, given his vast intellect and enormous range of expertise. Until we can gather more data on this process, it will be incredibly hard to determine the exact methods._

 _Regardless, Ionesco is still at large and is considered a top tier threat to any and all Hunters and Huntresses._

 _Only those of Class IV and V rank are capable of dealing with him on an even footing._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Many villains have an origin that usually starts out as something simple, only for it to grow into something bigger, usually over a trivial object or event. And then there are those that truly can be classified as evil. Sometimes they may not even realize it. Those kinds of people are incredibly hard to deal with, as no one can be truly sure of what their motives are. And the motive is everything in creating a good villain," TOM stated as he closed the Ionesco file. "But what if that motive is only a means to an end? And what if that motive is only a sham to the heroes? Some villains can be clever and tricky, others bold and outright upfront about their objectives. If _you_ were ever to encounter such a villain, how would _you_ fight them?"

* * *

Tina and I took separate watches that night.

I fell into a light recharge, feeling a sort of ominous dread welling up within me. I ignored it and focused solely on trying to get some much needed recharge. My mind finally settled down, allowing me to get some rest. But it did little to reduce the unease I was feeling at the moment.

I took over for Tina when she woke me at around midnight. I fell back into recharge a few hours later when we changed shifts. It wasn't really something I was keen on, but we had no choice as Grimm were everywhere in the Darklands.

And something else, as well. I had no idea as to what it was, and neither did Tina. But we both were worried nonetheless. Truthfully I was kind of - no, I _was_ paranoid - something was watching us. And not the Grimm or Fallen.

I refused to share this with Tina, however, considering how much we had to worry about. The next day we set off again, making our way further into the Darklands. The sun was now impossible to see as the evil here was very pronounced. Or rather the Grimm were. I lifted my gaze to the blackened sky and i dimmed my optics a shade. The whole idea that darkness like this could exist was normally supposed to be impossible, but seeing as how we lived in a world where humans had superpowers and used Dust to augment their powers, and given how I was a human who had their very essence transferred into a Gundam frame, it wasn't much of a surprise. So I ignored it and returned my gaze to our surroundings.

My optics roved over the scenery, and I began to get a bad feeling in my gut. Or rather in my lower torso as I was no longer flesh and blood. For some reason, my radar was acting up, and there were no Grimm in the area. The signatures I was detecting were not from the same essence as that of the Grimm, and they seemed more...

Hold on. These signatures seemed to have...

Were they... _mechanical?!_

That was enough to get me on edge. If they were mechanical, then that meant there was something else that was _not_ Grimm lurking in the Darklands.

I gulped a bit as I looked around, keeping tabs on those signatures. They seemed to be drawing closer to us, and Tina started to tense as well, her rapier flying into her hand as we stood back to back.

"Uh, Joseph? Why do I get the feeling we're not alone here?" she asked, looking around with wide blue eyes.

"Because we're not..." I muttered. "We're surrounded."

No sooner had those words escaped my vocalizer than we were jumped by sinister shapes each wielding a weapon that seemed to be integrated into their very beings. I knew I had weapons that were the same way, but not like these. These weapons were literally a part of them, as in it either replaced an arm or a hand. The most disturbing thing about these enemies was the eyes... eyes that were neither organic or mechanical. They seemed to burn with an intensity that was not of human flesh or desire, but lacking in the cold ruthlessness of a machine. It seemed like it was neither, but both at once. It was enough to send a shudder racing through my frame as we readied ourselves for a fight.

The eyes continued to surround us, and I dimmed my optics as a growl resonated deep in the back of my vocalizer. Tina's eyes narrowed as she snapped her rapier into whip mode.

For a moment, there was nothing but just the silence of the Darklands, and the eerie humming that came from the eyes around us.

Then the eyes made their move.

One of the shapes lunged out of the wooded scenery, its weapon flashing as a blade erupted from its arm, and my hand flew for the Hyper Beam Sword in my shield. I whipped it out and blocked the blade as it came down to try and cut my head off. I strained against the attacker, finding myself having to use more of my full strength against them. My optics flared a bit before the attacker leaned in, my helm- and shoulder-mounted lights catching the glint of silvery metal and the dull, lifeless grey of dead flesh...

I gasped in shock and horror as the entity flashed its dead eyes a sinister red and pushed harder, throwing my balance off and forcing me to pull back from the attack. "Shit!" I swore.

"Joseph, what are these things?!" Tina cried as she barely dodged the attack from one.

"Honestly? I have no real friggin' clue!" I shot back as I swung my sword. I managed to barely get a hit in on the damn thing, but it was only a minor scrape compared to what could've happened had I been faster to react. I watched as the cybernetic figure landed in sort of a crouching stance, looking more like a zombie in posture than a living organism. My optics dimmed a shade as I noticed this. Whatever these things were, they clearly were not alive, at least in the sense that I was. They seemed to be lurching, acting almost like mere puppets...

The horde charged at us at that moment.

And I realized we were in deep shit.

There was no way for us to get out alive.

Jaxon had sent us to our doom.

A sense of fury started to resonate within my chest, causing my reactor to hum louder in my anger. I felt a keen sense of rage building up within me, and I gripped my sword tightly in my hands. How could Jaxon send us to our doom like this? What was the reasoning? Why? Why? _Why?!_

The machine-like entities came at us and we were forced into a never ending battle. My sword flew and flashed as I cut and slashed, bashing any that got close with my shield or using my head Vulcans to keep them back. My psychoframe pulsed as my armor slid and shifted to expose it, and I felt that telltale increase in my speed, strength, and agility. Beside me, Tina's rapier cut through the cybernetic organisms in both rapier and whip forms, a few flashes of red or blue indicating ice or fire Dust being used. I was so focused on the battle around me I didn't even notice that my shoulder-mounted lights were taken out, leaving only the mounts behind. My helm-mounted lights I must've shut off during the battle, because from then on all I could really see were never ending numbers of figures via my thermal and infrared scanners.

Tina's was the only one that stuck beside me during the whole battle.

It seemed as if it would never end. We began moving as we cut and bashed our way through the horde, trying to find someplace, _any_ place, that was safe from the horde. It reminded me of the Grimm Horde in a sense, but more mechanized and lifeless, if Grimm could even be considered alive. Oh sure they may have had organic and biological processes, and organic physiology as the data pads from Outpost Prima had shown, but they lacked souls. It was the sense of having a soul that made one truly alive.

Those thoughts were driven from my mind, however, as the two of us finally broke through the cybernetic horde and into the center of the Darklands around us. The sky overhead was somewhat a mix of darkness and red colors, but we ignored it as we ran, our feet crunching the gravely ground and dead brush underfoot. We kept running as the enemy pursued us, as if intent on bringing us to their master or overlord. The mere thought made my frame shudder against my will, and my armor clattered against my metallic hide.

It was only thanks to pure luck we managed to find a sheltered cave and take refuge inside it to avoid the cybernetic horde as it surged past, trying to find us and kill or capture us.

Both Tina and I were plastered against the rock wall, panting heavily. Tina's chest was heaving as she gasped for breath, and while I didn't need to breathe in the traditional sense, my own chest was heaving as I struggled to get fresh air into my intakes to cool my overheating circuits. We stayed there for a few tense minutes more, half expecting those entities to come in and attack us.

But they didn't.

I was just overcome with relief at having escaped those... things... or whatever they were. I actually laughed out loud as I slumped to the ground, grasping my arms and rubbing them. The same sense of relief after having fought Skarr came back to me and I shuddered a bit. Tina's voice was echoing, but I didn't pay much attention. At least until she nailed me over the helm with her rapier. "Hey! I asked you a question!" she blurted.

I turned to look at her, rubbing my head with one hand. "Sorry," I muttered. "What was it you were asking?"

"I asked if you were all right," Tina said as she knelt beside me.

I nodded, glancing at one of my hands. I studied the shaking digits and flexed it. "Yeah. I'm fine," I whispered. "Just still shocked we managed to survive..."

Tina was serious as she tapped my shoulder. I lifted my gaze and glanced at her. "Yeah, but now look. We're stuck here in the middle of the Darklands," she said seriously.

I sighed. "Yeah..."

For once, we were trapped. And we had no idea on how to get out.

I growled as I stood and whirled around, punching a fist into the rock wall of the cave we were hiding out in. My wings twitched as I stood there for a few seconds before I pulled my hand out and rubbed my fist. I had to admit, I was frustrated, not just at our stupidity for following Jaxon's orders, but also at Jaxon for leading us to our doom in this place.

I looked back outside at the red sky, and my optics dimmed a bit. Something about the Darklands always seemed to give people the creeps, and the fact that no one really _knew_ what was in the center often led to much speculation. The kind of speculation that sometimes led to outlandish conspiracy theories or ridiculous rumors. But one thing that _was_ clear, was that Fallen usually lived here.

And that brought a topic to the forefront of my processor.

I turned to look at Tina. "Hey, Tina... back when we were conversing with Orion... you mentioned someone called Sammael. I mean, I know Orion mentioned him too, but... who is he? And how'd you know of him?"

Tina shifted a bit before she sat down beside me and brushed a strand of her short brown hair aside. "Well... to answer your questions... I know of Sammael because I was doing research on the Fallen, trying to figure out which one killed my brother. The Hunters who found his body said it was a Fallen, but one they've never seen before. So... I started doing some research into them and I came across Sammael's name quite frequently in Hunter reports. I was curious myself. After months of research, I finally came across a report that told everything there was to know about Sammael, and it wasn't much."

She sighed. "As for who he is... Joseph... he's a very, _very_ dangerous man. Much more so than even Skarr." She looked up, her blue eyes hardening into shards of ice. "He's been around for a long time. The report didn't say how long. Just that he is a powerful warrior, and he is incredibly cunning and intelligent. He is a powerful Fallen, Joseph. A Fallen that can master their powers and their instinct for killing. And that makes him even more dangerous than a rogue Huntsman."

My vocalizer failed to function at that. I was shocked, to say the least. To even hear of such a being... it really startled me, to say the least.

But to even consider that he was _that strong_... It was enough to make me shudder and nearly pass out from shock.

It was only due to my condition that I didn't pass out.

I slowly regained myself and looked around before I proceeded to check over my arsenal and equipment. I checked my shoulder-mounted lights, and I wasn't too surprised to see that the mountings were the only things remaining. I detached them from my shoulder guards and threw them into the depths of the cave. My helmet lights still worked, thankfully, which was a huge relief for me. My arsenal was still in good condition, and my ammo supply was still high enough for me to not worry too much about running low.

Tina checked over her Dust supply, noting that the primary Dust used in her whip - yellow Dust - was still in decent supply. The rest were starting to run low, but it was still good if she rationed it.

I sighed once my check was complete and I turned to Tina. "So... what now?" I asked.

Her face became serious as she looked at me. "Beats me..." She shrugged. "But I do know one thing, and that's we have to get out of here. Especially after encountering those... things... out here."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah. The sooner the better."

Of course, we had no idea as to what was really happening behind our backs in Denver at the moment. But we'll get into that later. Right now, we had to evacuate the Darklands and get back to Denver.

But that was a lot easier said than done, for as soon as we poked our heads out, all of our senses - and my sensors - screamed at us of danger.

I grabbed Tina and rolled to the side as a barrage of lasers barely cut through the air where we had been mere seconds ago. My optics were wide as I looked back over my shoulder, and I gasped.

Three dozen of those things - cybernetic organisms - were approaching our hiding spot.

And they looked ready to kill us.

I gulped and gripped my magnum as I pulled it free from my flight pack. Tina held her rapier at the ready as we both backed into the depths of the cave, and the cybernetic entities followed us in. I aimed my gun and she tensed beside me. "Okay... Maybe we should've thought this whole thing through!" she squeaked.

I nodded as I gulped. "At least we'll go out fighting..." I muttered.

The entities aimed their gun arms at us, and I braced for the coming salvo, shielding Tina with my frame and wings protectively.

What we did _not_ expect was to hear a battle cry as someone started to cut their way through the cybernetic organisms blocking our path. My optics widened as I recognized that cry. "Wait... It can't be!"

Tina shot a glance at me. "What is it?" she asked.

"That cry... I know it anywhere!" I breathed. "It's Dan!"

"Dan?" Tina cocked an eyebrow as she turned, only to stare in shock as a blade wreathed in fire erupted out of the chest of one of the cyborgs before cleaving its upper body in two. The blade vanished shortly after as a figure clothed in a reddish-brown battle suit leapt up and brought the sword down in an arc, cleaving another cyborg in half at the waist. The figure was distinctly feminine in build, and although her face was hidden by a battle helmet, I recognized her.

She whipped her body around and blocked another attack from a cyborg, grunting as one leapt at her from behind and fired a shot at her. Her Aura blocked it, although she did grunt from the impact. "Okay, tin cans! You asked for it!" she hissed. She spun around and lashed out her foot in a roundhouse kick that took the cyborg's head off and held out her sword as the Dust chamber spun to land on fire Dust. I felt a twinge of anger at the remark, but I squashed it and aimed my gun, firing a charged shot not even a second later. The shot barely missed her, but struck a cyborg attempting to pull a sneak attack.

The figure's head whipped around to look at me, and I saw those reddish-brown eyes narrow at me beneath the visor. I couldn't help but flash my optics in a smirking fashion. "What? We're even now," I joked.

"Just be glad I was here to bail your ass outta the fire!" Dan grumbled as she slashed with her sword, cutting through a cyborg with a wave of fire from her blade.

Tina's eyes looked at me in mild shock. "Introductions later," I said. "Escape now. Talk later."

Dan let out a cackle at my remark. "Straight to the point as always, metalhead!" she shot back.

"Just shut up!" I retorted. My wings twitched at the comment, but I ignored it. I knew and trusted her enough to know she didn't really mean it. Four years of combat alongside her taught me that much.

Tina was surprised at our banter, but I shot her a look that said I'd explain later.

We resumed the offensive, and this time we were able to cut and fight our way out. With Dan, there was no way we could lose that easily.

The three of us managed to get out of the cave and we started to run as fast as we could. Well, Tina and I were the faster of the trio, mostly because of my flight and Tina's Semblance. But that didn't mean Dan wasn't a slowpoke. If anything, it was her battle suit that allowed her to keep pace with us. The fire Dust in the shoes allowed her to fly to an extent, which I hadn't known about until now, actually.

We kept moving for a good ten minutes before we came to a stop at a grove of stunted and decaying trees, but at least it was shelter.

As soon as we touched down, the first thing I did was keep watch while Tina set about gathering wood for a fire. Dan on the other hand wandered over to one of the trees and reached into a hole near the roots and pulled out her suitcase/backpack, no doubt loaded with food and fire Dust vials and crystals. She pulled it over to us and sat down, opening it up. She shot a glance at me. "So, what gives, metalhead? Find a chick that actually likes you?"

I sputtered at her comment, feeling my faceplate heat up. "Y-Y...Dan!" I squeaked. "It's not like that!"

Dan rolled her eyes as she reached up and removed her helmet, revealing her short red hair and tanned skin. Danielle "Dan" Willis was one of my best friends at Laplace, and a real hothead to boot. If anything, she was _more_ of a hothead than I was, and that's saying something. Her Aura and Semblance were nothing to laugh at either, especially since her Semblance, Explosion, was connected to her temper. The angrier she got, the more explosive energy was released. And that was why we often joked that she was the strongest when it came to explosive power. In terms of brute strength and sheer firepower though, I outclassed her.

Tina meanwhile was flushing a beet red at her comment. She buried her face in her hands as she squeaked softly.

Dan couldn't help but smirk. "So you _do_ like him," she teased.

"STOP IT!" we both yelled at her.

My old friend couldn't help it. She cracked up. "Ah, relax, metalhead. I was just joking," she said once she stopped laughing. "So, mind introducing us?"

I coughed a bit. "Oh. Right. Sorry." I gestured to Dan. "Tina, this is one of my old teammates back at Laplace. Danielle "Dan" Willis. She may be a hothead, but she has a good heart at times."

The redhead grinned. "Sure..." she muttered with a roll of her eyes. But I knew her too well. "And Dan, this is Tina Hendricks. She and I met when I was just starting out as a Hunter."

"Better hope you're taking good care of metalhead over there," Dan joked as she shook Tina's hand. Tina returned it, but she was baffled.

"Why do you keep calling him 'metalhead'?" she asked.

"It's a nickname," I muttered. "When they found out my secret, it was Dan who called me that... mostly because I was thickheaded when I was starting out."

Tina's eyes widened in realization and she looked down. "Oh..."

"Don't worry. She doesn't mean it though," I said.

Dan merely rolled her eyes. "Sure..." she drawled.

I finally turned to face her. "So... what brings you here?" I asked.

My old friend turned to look at me with a serious gaze. "You wanna know?"

We both nodded.

"Well, first off, why were you even sent here to begin with?" Dan asked us. I looked at Tina and back at her in confusion.

"That's just it. We don't know _why_ we were sent here," I admitted. "We weren't given specific orders."

Dan frowned at that. "Hmm..." I watched as she pulled up a rock and aimed a hand at the pile of wood. With a flick of her wrist, a small explosion burst into existence and a fire was burning a few moments later.

"That's not good," she mused. "And it's only trouble." Then she looked directly into my violet optics. "Joseph, what do you think those things you faced were? Humans or machines?"

I cocked my head in confusion. "What's that got to do with anything?" I asked.

"It has to do with why I'm here," Dan muttered. "So... what were they? Humans or machines?"

I pondered her question, then shrugged. "Beats me. They seemed to be neither one or the other, let alone both. It was like they weren't human at all, but neither were they flesh and blood," I admitted. "Dunno if that makes sense."

"It makes perfect sense," my old friend mused. "Because they were cybernetic organisms: cyborgs. A true fusion of flesh and machine. Neither one, nor the other. And it has to do with Dr. Minovsky's old friend... Dr. James T. Ionesco."

Both me and Tina gaped in shock. "What?!" we both blurted. "Minovsky?!"

She nodded. "Yes. The creator of the Minovsky nuclear fusion reactor." She pointed a finger directly at me. "The same kind within you, metalhead."

My hand slowly drifted towards my chest, slowly laying itself right over the Minovsky reactor within me. I slowly looked down at my chest, feeling the slight humming of my reactor beneath my chest armor. "..." I was in shock.

But not as much as what she said next. "Basically put, the old geezer sent me in to rescue you two from this place."

My head shot up. "Wait... _Minovsky_ sent you here?" I blurted.

She nodded. "Yep. He was fearful of his old friend pulling some trick to gain more materials to create more cyborgs. Technically, he has every right to fear such a thing coming into existence, as his old friend was someone who proposed to not only meld human flesh and cybernetics together, but to also put a central processing unit directly into the human's brain... creating a true cyborg." She was dead serious as she said those words.

"But... how'd you know where to find us?" Tina asked finally.

Dan smirked. "Your parents," she said. "They told me you two moved down here to Denver, and well... from there I asked around and some guy named Jaxon said you two went into the Darklands for no apparent reason." Her smirk faded as she gazed into the fire. "But knowing you, Joseph, you don't do anything without a good enough reason. So that got me suspicious."

"Jaxon..." I felt my reactor increase its humming in my chest and my hand clenched into a fist over it. "That bastard... I think he sent us to die here!" I growled.

"Maybe, but Minovsky thinks his former friend might have a different reason. To use you two as guinea pigs in his cyborg creation experiments," Dan surmised. "We can't be sure though. So..."

I nodded. "Right. Best to bail out while we can."

Dan nodded. "Yes. That's why I'm here. To get you out before Ionesco makes his next move."

The three of us sat in silence for a few minutes more before Dan grabbed a can of instant ramen from her backpack. "But right now we need to figure out how to get out," Tina mused.

"Not really. Just go back the way you guys came," Dan remarked. "Not that hard for metalhead here, since he's got radar and all that."

"I wasn't really paying much attention to it, Dan!" I shot back. She rolled her eyes as she popped open the can and set it on the edge of the fire after pouring a bit of water from a canteen into the can.

"Sure... Look. Just be glad I'm here," she said. She grabbed a fork and started to stir the contents. "You two will need all the help you can get here."

We nodded.

* * *

As the hours passed, I shifted and sat off to the side, my gaze locked onto the red sky overhead. I had to admit, this place was beautiful in its own way, but it was still majorly creepy. The fire was still burning, and the trees around us only added to the imposing and menacing atmosphere and mood. It was a lot like a horror film compared to more idealistic settings in movies I had seen, mostly ones depicting a world with no Grimm. Some small part of me wondered what such a world would be like. What kind of life would I be leading? Would I even be human? Or would I be as I currently was, a Gundam?

I had no idea. But the possibilities were endless.

Just like the countless stars above this place.

My mind began to drift, but as I gazed out at the horizon, the sight of several cyborgs made me shudder and I gulped a bit. Several questions began to float around in my processor. Like, how could Ionesco develop cyborgs given a lack of resources in the Darklands? And what was his motive for doing so? I decided to ask Dan. If she _had_ been sent by Minovsky, then she had to know. Right?

Dan was more than willing to answer when I asked.

But, she told me, I would not like what I heard.

We sat around the fire as she started to speak.

"To put it simply, Ionesco is a brilliant robotics engineer," Dan began. "And as a result, he's not to be underestimated. Given how he was able to convert _himself_ into a cyborg, I can only guess that he had help. But Old Man Minovsky can't say for sure. So... that part is just guesswork." She shrugged.

"What about his motive?" Tina asked. "Do you know anything about that?"

My old friend nodded. "Sure do," she muttered. "The cyborg wants an army. An army that can kill the Grimm. As well as any other threats to their existence." Her eyes hardened. "You know how cyborgs are."

I gulped. Reading a lot of science-fiction did teach me how cyborgs generally reacted to a threat to their existence. And that sure made me glad I was a Gundam.

But something was bugging me.

"Wait. Why would Ionesco want a cyborg army?" I asked.

Dan grunted. "To try and show how inferior humanity is against the Grimm," she retorted. "An army that has no organic needs is superior to organic flesh. At least in his eyes." She rolled her eyes. "And maybe to also try and save the world from the Grimm. Who knows what that freak wants?"

I mentally frowned to myself. That did seem like what everyone else wanted. And truthfully, it did make sense... Sort of. I mean, everyone wanted to stop the Grimm, but so far no one had any real idea on how it should be done. But it was the fact that there could be a _second_ motive that made me wary.

Tina shifted and poked a stick into the fire. "So... How are we going to get out of here?" she asked.

A smirk crossed Dan's face. "Just leave it to me."

I knew she had a plan, but I had no idea as to what it was. She merely gestured for us to stand. "C'mon. We're bailing before old ' cyberface gets wind that we were in his territory."

Tina blanched at that and I gulped nervously. That was not good.

We put out the fire and stood up, grabbing our gear and running for it as fast as we could. As we exited the copse of trees, however, a low, wailing siren cut through the air. And that was when I knew we were in trouble. My optics flashed a bit as I looked around, scanning with all sensors and radar to try and spot the cyborgs first.

That proved to be the correct choice to make, as it also saved our lives. "We got company!" I shouted as my radar began to fill with electronic signatures. Tina shot a look at me that showed how terrified she was. Dan on the other hand merely grunted.

"Figures he'd try and stop us from escaping!" she hissed. She shot a look at me. "Be ready to fly, metalhead!"

I nodded and flexed my wings out from under my cloak. I grabbed onto Tina, earning a surprise squeak in response. I held her close as I activated my flight pack and Dan kicked on her rocket shoes.

As we got airborne, a mechanical voice with male undertones rasped out from one of the cyborgs. " **You who dare to intrude... You shall not escape. No one escapes the great Ionesco...** "

"Yeah, right!" I muttered under my figurative breath. I also mentally winced at the sound of the voice. It was more like fingernails on a chalkboard than a real sound. At least _my_ voice was not entirely mechanical like that one was.

" **You shall not escape!** " the voice screeched. I was surprised when one of the cyborgs aimed its right arm cannon at me and I gasped. The Dust chamber on the arm spun until it was resting on wind Dust before it fired, sending a laser charged with a gust of wind right for me! I twisted my frame to the left, barely avoiding the shot as it streaked by me, narrowly missing my armor and wings. I glanced down, only to see a few dozen more cyborgs aiming at us again. Dan's Aura flashed and then she thrust her fist forward, an explosion taking out a few of them. I kept a firm grip on Tina as I adjusted myself and prepared to launch my fin funnels.

"Don't even think about it, metalhead!" Dan yelled at me. "Do you wanna lose those bits of yours?!"

I realized she had a point and ceased focusing on them. "So then what?" I asked as we barely avoided a second salvo from the cyborgs below us. "I can't exactly fight back right now!"

Dan's sword lit up with fire from the red Dust within its chamber and she swung her blade as hard as she could. "That!" she shouted, a wide grin on her face as the fiery shockwave incinerated five more cyborgs. She was _enjoying_ this, I realized. I remembered that despite being a hothead, she was also a bit of an adrenaline junky, taking great pleasure in hurting Grimm or others who dared to threaten the world.

I realized she was buying time for us to flee, so I took the chance and engaged my thrusters to maximum and sped away from the scene as fast as I could. Behind me I could still hear the fighting raging, and I felt so... foolish. Mostly because I was leaving an old friend behind, and yet I knew she could hold her own. I just hoped with all my heart that she made it out alive from that.

* * *

I flew for as long and as far as I could. My wings were starting to ache from all the flying I was doing, but I ignored the strain on the joints as I kept going. I finally started to descend, feeling like I needed to relax my wings from the stress of flight. I landed on the ground, my wings aching like crazy. I placed Tina on her feet and threw back my cloak, flaring my wings and feeling the joints pop. "Man! I'm gonna be feeling that in the wings tomorrow!" I grumbled under my breath.

Tina turned to look at me. "Joseph... why did you just...?" She was shocked, I could tell.

"Tina... I didn't leave her to die," I said reassuringly. "Look. I worked with her back during my time at Laplace Community College, and I trust her. I trust her deeply. If she's anything, she's incredibly prideful and stubborn. Dan's not a quitter, and she won't give up easily. She'll get out of there. I know it." I placed a hand on Tina's shoulder and she looked into my violet optics. "Trust me."

Tina swallowed nervously, and I noticed a faint blush dusting her cheeks. What was going on? Was she nervous or something?

"Hey, you okay?" I asked.

She squeaked and yelped, blushing furiously. "Y-Yes... I'm fine," she stammered, looking away from me. "I...I just need to... get some fresh air."

She turned and walked off, leaving me alone and very confused. I scratched my helm in confusion, but let her go. "Okay."

As she walked off, my optics landed once again on her backside and roved down to her legs before moving up to her shoulders, which I noticed had some muscle tone to them. I wasn't sure why, but that was something I found rather... attractive... on her. I felt that familiar lump-like sensation forming in my throat and I gulped nervously.

My reactor also increased its humming in my chest and I felt a slight skip from it. My hand slowly drifted to my chest and I rubbed it discreetly. What was going on between us...?

I needed some time to think. I turned away from Tina and started to walk, my gaze drifting up to look at the red sky as it turned to black off in the horizon. I wasn't sure as to what was happening between me and Tina, but it seemed like we were becoming closer. I recalled her attempted flirting and I shivered a bit. I hated to admit it, but feeling her hand tracing itself down my chest armor felt good. And at the same time, the way she snuggled close to me was... rather nice.

Not only that, but she said I was a nice guy with a heart of gold. Did she mean that? If so, then... well, then she was clearly interested in me. Or was it just my imagination? Who would be attracted to a mech with enough firepower to level a small country's army? Okay, maybe that part was an exaggeration, but it kind of fit given how much firepower I did have. Or rather since I had enough energy in my reactor core to keep my fin funnels and beam sabers active for a long time.

But still... who would be attracted to a mech like me? It didn't make any sense.

And then she had called me her friend, despite my appearance. She saw me for who I was beneath the armor, and cared enough for me to try and help me with my injuries, as the aftermath of the battle against the Nevermore had shown. Not only that, but she was a kind soul, someone who was willing to fight for her loved ones. And on top of that, she had beautiful blue eyes...

I suddenly shook my helm. What was with those thoughts?!

I decided to head back to where Tina and I were waiting for Dan.

As I walked, I kept an audio peeled for any sign of any cyborgs or Grimm, which we hadn't seen many of since arriving here, aside from those Lancers and Beringals.

It was almost as if someone had just cut off the Grimm here, or was exterminating them at a rate faster than they could spawn, which was saying something considering the Dark Stuff they came from. (Yeah, I called it Dark Stuff because Dark Substance could refer to drugs. And I didn't want that association to become foremost in my processor.) I wondered if there were even any Grimm _left_. I finally made my way back to the spot and noticed that Tina was sitting a distance away from me. No doubt trying to think as well.

"Well, about time you got here," a familiar voice said.

My head snapped to look in the direction of the voice, and I laughed a bit in relief as I spotted Dan descending from above, her armor dented and dinged, but her face still sporting that familiar smirk. Tina looked up as well, and a smile crossed her face. "You... You actually survived!" she cried, running over. "I was sure you'd be dead..."

The redhead snorted. "As if a few little cyborgs could bring me down."

I nodded. "Yeah. I always knew you were a tough one." I chuckled a little.

Dan touched down and shut down her rocket shoes, looking around as we met up. "So... mind me asking why there aren't as many Grimm here?" Tina asked.

"Oh, you noticed, huh?" Dan remarked. She brushed her hair behind her ears. "Well, the truth is, ever since Ionesco took refuge here, there haven't been as many Grimm as there should be. I can only guess as to why, and even old Minovsky has no clue."

"This bears some investigating," I mused. "This shouldn't be even possible..."

Dan nodded. "Yeah. I agree with you there, but right now I have orders to get you two out of this spot before ol' cyberface gets his clutches on you."

I folded my arms. "Dan... I know you mean well, but this is big. What is going on here? And how come there's a lack of Grimm here? That's what I want to figure out," I remarked.

The two women looked at one another, then back at me. "Look. I know it's risky, and very dangerous given who's supposed to live here. But if you think about it, it could also be a benefit if we're to try and see what's happening here. Maybe we can use this information to try and halt the spread of Grimm from other parts of the Darklands," I explained. I gazed at both women with my violet optics. "It's the best bet we got right now."

Dan bit her lower lip as she pondered my suggestion. I knew she wasn't really one to listen to reason, but my words did seem to make a bit of sense to her. She finally looked up. "All right. We'll see what we can dig up here," she said. "But if we come under intense enemy fire, we bug out. Got it?"

Tina and I nodded. "Right!" we both chirped.

Of course, things were about to get a bit more dangerous...

Because at the same time, something else was happening close by.

* * *

 _ **Within the darkness of his abode, a single eye gazed at the world through a variety of monitors and sensors, each attuned for one purpose: to observe the intruders and destroy any Grimm his shells came across. His lips couldn't curl into a smirk, but he did feel a distinct sense of satisfaction resonating in his chest at the sight.**_

 _ **His plans were moving along smoothly.**_

 _ **He now possessed more shells than he had when he first attacked the old fool in an attempt to prevent him from carrying out his own objectives. And yet he still lived. He had to admit, the old geezer was incredibly resilient for his age. Even a wheelchair wasn't enough to keep him down.**_

 _ **His shells continued to send him feedback data, and from what he was getting, it was clear that the old fool's last project was working as intended. Coupled with those two organic women with him, it wasn't much of a surprise they were able to hold their own against his army of shells. The trio was proving to be a nuisance.**_

 _ **His optic and eye locked onto the figure in the middle of the trio, the cloaked mecha known as Joseph Matthews. An electronic chuckle escaped his vocoder. It was so foolish, to rely on a**_ **human** ** _, even one in a mechanical frame such as that. Humans eventually cracked under pressure, whether physically or mentally. And he was no exception._**

 ** _The single eye narrowed as thoughts from his shells flittered back into his processing unit. He could see the calculations his logic center computed and simulated repeatedly. The plans were not foolproof, even though he took precautions to prevent them from being thwarted in many ways. But even so, he was not able to compute everything... at least not yet. His goal was paramount for the moment: build enough forces to keep the Grimm at bay and then convert his very being into the ultimate fighting machine._**

 ** _He had all kinds of plans already swirling around in his processing unit, and each one contained a different frame he wished to use. But they were not perfect. He wanted nothing less than perfection. Perfection that could not be stopped._**

 ** _Yes. He wanted to have a frame similar to that brat._**

 ** _He would become a Gundam._**


	9. Arc 0 - Danger Rises 2

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **(** _A scene of chaos is shown at the famous Navy Pier in Chicago as creatures bearing black skin and white bone plates attack the civilians, but then a youth decides to intervene in the fight, only to get injured severely._ **)**

 **Start Period - Fullmetal Alchemist OST**

 **(** _The boy is shown in a hospital, lying on a bed as the camera pans in on the flashing light before it fades to blackness._ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **At last we're here at the half way point** **(** _A pair of violet optics flash online as the screen pans out to show a dark blue colored mecha with a pair of draconic wings on the back as he stands atop a building in a city surrounded by mountains._ **)**

 **In the heart of our endless journey** **(** _The mecha flares his wings and takes flight as he draws out a sword from his shield, charging at an imposing black Grimm with large wings and scars across its body._ **)**

 **At last, while everything still is calm (** _As the two collide a flash of light is shown to reveal a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes looking at the camera, a rapier in her left hand as she holds a Dust canister in her right._ **)**

 **Take a deep breath (** _She swings her sword, only for it to extend into a whip as it swirls with wind around it, curtesy of the wind Dust in the chamber._ **)**

 **We both have just began to grasp it (** _The wind engulfs the screen only to vanish as fire surrounds a sword, the camera panning out to show a redheaded woman with a fiery sword in her grasp._ **)**

 **But it's slipped out of our hands (** _The woman slashes with her sword as the camera follows the shockwave before it hits a wasp-like Grimm, incinerating it before the camera is engulfed in flames._ **)**

 **And we will learn from those fragile mistakes (** _The flames vanish as the camera moves up and out of them, showing a city under siege. **)**_

 **'til nothing stands in our way (** _The city defenses struggle to keep the Grimm Horde at bay, only to be aided by two more figures, one of them leaping into the air and firing a Dust-laced rocket from a rocket launcher at the closest Grimm._ **)**

 **An unbreakable bond will forever link our hearts (** _The two figures land, one of them being a man wearing a trench coat and behind him appears a buxom woman in shadow as beside him stands a woman with a hammer in one hand, her gaze locked onto the sky above them._ **)**

 **There's no spell, no hell, that will undo us (** _The camera pivots to show the two from the side and then from the front, only this time they stand beside the mecha and other two women as they stand in front of a large metallic structure._ **)**

 **We have made it here at last (** _The fortress is shown in all its glory, cybernetic organisms lurking around it and several of them aim at the camera as two sinister green optics appear behind the scene, flaring brightly._ **)**

 **In this never ending dance (** _The light envelops the camera only for it to vanish as the scene shows a woman with blonde hair and a man with a slightly darker shade of blonde hair standing in front of the mountain city, the others landing beside them._ **)**

 **And we'll live through us the period of time (** _The group lunges at the screen, weapons drawn as more Grimm attack._ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Team DNJR (Danger)_

 _Team DNJR, more commonly referred to as Team Danger, was a Hunter team formed when Joseph was studying at Laplace Community College. Its members consisted of Danielle "Dan" Willis, Nick Mallory, Joseph Matthews himself, and Rachel Coupe. And surprisingly, despite the unique personalities on the team, they somehow managed to work together to deal damage to any Grimm nearby, although they were considered a danger to themselves and others close by when not fighting Grimm. The members were notorious for getting into arguments and fistfights, usually resulting in either Joseph breaking them up and getting beat up for it, or Nick often trying to insist on settling things with words. But they were not that successful in their endeavors._

 _Danielle "Dan" Willis is the hothead of the team, possessing a fiery Irish temper , intense pride, and an explosive Semblance to match. As her temper flares, her Semblance grows in explosive power, resulting in a potentially dangerous blast that either kills or maims any Grimm or anyone else close by. It is advised to not piss her off. Her tendency is to favor fire Dust in lieu of her Semblance's power, and she wields a sword she named Fire Twister. Her homemade battle suit is another asset that has led to her rise as a formidable Huntress, although as of right now she is a class IV Huntress. Her hotheadedness often puts her at odds with her fellow teammates, mostly Rachel and Joseph._

 _Nick Mallory is the shy one, and a pacifist. But that doesn't mean he won't fight back in self-defense if left with no other choice. He prefers to settle things diplomatically, although sometimes it doesn't work out. As befitting a shy individual, his Semblance, Phantasm, allows him to phase into different objects and through people to avoid detection. If done right, he can even possess other people, taking total control of their bodies while their minds are locked away and put into a sleeping state. He prefers to possess buxom women - one in particular named Serena Wilcox - which leads some to speculate that he is transgender. His weapon, a rocket launcher, is capable of firing Dust-laced rockets to allow his allies time to strike. His infiltration skills have led to his rise as a class IV Hunter. His preference for infiltration has led Dan to often call him a coward, but he denies it, saying that every team has to have someone skilled at infiltration and spying._

 _Joseph Matthews, otherwise known as Dracon, is a formidable warrior, given his frame and vast firepower. He is known for his famed "Dragon's Breath" Beam Burst Gun, and his fin funnels, which allow him to launch remote attacks on his enemies from hiding. He is also highly intelligent, a result of not just his transfer to the Gundam frame he wears, but also from experience. His impulsiveness often gets him into trouble, but he more than makes up for it with his ability to come up with plans on the fly. His agility and speed make him a hard to hit adversary, and when coupled with his arsenal and his impressive physical strength, he is a force to be reckoned with. He is the highest rank out of the group, being labelled a class V Hunter. He doesn't let his lack of an Aura stop him though, as his durability matches that of someone with a powerful Aura._

 _Rachel Coupe may be a somewhat laid back individual, but her ability to remain calm in dire circumstances makes her a person to turn to in a crisis. She is very calm and cool headed at times, but she does have an explosive temper as well. Her Semblance, Rock Control, allows her to manipulate the rocks around her to generate heavy armor or defensive barricades to keep her friends safe from harm. She is considered the defensive fighter of the team, preferring to remain on the sidelines rather than get in there like Dan or Joseph. Her weapon, Vulcan Hammer, is perhaps the most devastating as it uses earth Dust to boost its hitting power on impact. Her defensive skills are a mark of her rank as a class IV Huntress, in addition to her experience. As a result of her defensive measures, she and Dan are often at odds, usually butting heads before Joseph has to break it up._

 _Regardless of their unusual team dynamics, these four are a team that should never be underestimated._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Teammates are always important to have, no matter what side of life you come from. Sometimes a teammate can be a bad one, or sometimes they can be a good one. It all depends on the personalities of the people involved. Sometimes they'll mesh and sometimes not. Everyone is unique and different, so a team can be a mishmash or not at all. I guess it's like a puzzle. Get the right pieces and they'll fit. Get the wrong ones and it'll just be a big mess," TOM lectured as he closed up the DNJR file. "But in reality, no matter what reality you're in, a team is a good asset to have. Just make sure that all the pieces of the puzzle fit."

* * *

Me, Tina, and Dan set out the next morning, which didn't make much sense given how the sun wasn't even visible. The only real reason I knew it was morning was thanks to my internal clock (which I was _immensely_ grateful to have at this point) which said it was close to 1000 hours. So after we had breakfast - or rather the two women did - we packed up and headed out.

I had to admit, this was turning out to be very intriguing. Primarily because there was a significant lack of Grimm in the Darklands. It actually kind of creeped me out, seeing as how this place was supposed to be _infested_ with them. Instead, I was only picking up electronic signatures from the cyborgs that lingered here. That was enough to make me wary and I gulped nervously as we ventured past the copse of trees we had taken refuge in not that long ago.

As we continued on, my sensors picked up only a few Grimm, mostly smaller Creeps and very few larger ones. It seemed like whatever was happening wasn't letting them spawn as much from the pools. Or at least I hoped so. For all we know the pools had either been sealed off or destroyed. And since no one came here, that led to all kinds of crazy theories, as I stated in the last chapter of this log.

I spotted a Creep wandering past us as we walked, and I shivered at how it seemed to be more shriveled compared to its regular counterparts. But what was going on here to reduce the number of Grimm in this area?

We finally got our answer when we heard gunfire. Gunfire accompanied by shrieks and screams and screeches of Grimm. Except they were not in anger or in attack mode.

It seemed as if they were in...

In pain.

My optics flashed in shock as Tina and Dan looked at me. Our gazes met and that prompted me to charge ahead, leading us up a good sized hill until we came to a stop at the sight in front of us, causing all of us to gasp in shock and downright horror.

In front of us were the Pools of Darkness, yes, but along with them came the numerous forms of cyborgs. And there were not just five thousand. This time the sea of cyborgs seemed endless. They all kept their right arms aimed at the pools, shooting lasers into whatever Grimm came crawling out, exterminating them before they even made it to land. Even airborne Grimm were not immune to this, as overhead hovered an aerial variant of cyborgs, tethered to packs of some kind that utilized wind Dust to remain airborne. And these packs were connected to vast wind Dust deposits positioned closer to the central location of the pools.

A large metallic structure loomed out of the very ground, seeming like it was made of rust in this darkened lighting. It resembled less of a castle and more of a fortress from ancient times, possessing large battlements and towers that stood tall and proud. Cyborgs manned these towers, armed with sniper rifles and machine guns integrated into their very beings. Their eyes swept emotionlessly across the field of Grimm, and some of them even fired at a Grimm who somehow managed to get past the never ending sea of cyborg guards.

All in all, it was a very efficient operation, as well as costly, I guessed.

"Guess that explains the lack of Grimm..." Tina whispered.

I nodded silently.

Dan grunted. "Some operation this is..." she muttered.

In truth, I was not just shocked, but some small part of me found it impressive. I wasn't too surprised, but it was still a bit of a shocker to me to even feel that. Still, the fact that there were so many cyborgs and that they were stopping the Grimm from even leaving the pools was a feat of technological sophistication and logistics I couldn't comprehend at the time. How were they not running low on power? How was it they had such vast Dust deposits for the aerial platforms? What was powering the cyborgs?

A quick glance to Tina and Dan showed they had the same questions on their minds.

It was time to get some answers.

So we retreated to come up with a plan.

"Guys... you saw all those cyborgs, right?" Dan asked.

Tina and I nodded.

"Well... I doubt we'll be able to sneak past them," Dan said seriously.

Tina's eyes went wide and my optics flashed in surprise and shock. "What!? Whaddya mean?" Tina blurted.

"Didn't you see the number?!" Dan hissed. "That's way too many, even for me and Joseph!" Her eyes flashed as she spoke. "We're not about to take that risk."

"Then how do you expect us to get by them?" I growled.

Dan shook her head. "No chance unless we go underground, and I don't wanna risk us getting struck by that Dark Stuff."

I realized she had a point.

In all the times that researchers had studied the Grimm, or even attempted to study them, there was one thing that remained out of reach from all of us: the depths of the pools from which the Grimm spawned. No one had even gotten _close_ to one to try and measure it, at least not without being mutated or changed into a hideous creature. Most scientists and researchers preferred to study Grimm from afar as a result, but on rare occasions some tried to get in close with a probe or other measuring device to try and find out how deep the pools actually went. But most probes were never heard from or even seen again, except for some spindly legged Grimm that seemed to wear metallic plates and cables that snaked around their bodies, a sinister red eye pulsing beneath that black sludge as it dripped from their bodies. Some people have taken to calling these Grimm Spindles, and the name seemed to actually fit.

However, I suspected that the Dark Stuff fused with the probes, turning them into a new kind of Grimm.

But to confirm someone had to try and find one of these Spindles, which was harder than it seemed.

Tina finally brought me back to reality. "So we can't go by air, or by ground, and we can't go underground because we don't know how deep the pools go," she remarked. "Not very conducive to sneaking around."

I nodded. "Yeah. But what else can we do? We need a plan... And I want answers as to what's going on here," I said. We had to kind of shout to be heard over the loud racket that was being made down beyond the hilltop.

The three of us sat there, stumped on what course of action to take. I dimmed my optics until they were barely online and folded my arms across my chest as I bowed my head.

Different scenarios were present in my mind's eye as I imagined them. They ranged from engaging the cyborgs to trying to sneak past them, only each one resulted in immediate failure or death. I shuddered a bit at the thought. But surely there had to be some way to sneak past them, right? It's not like they didn't need maintenance, right? I mean...

I brought my optics back to full brightness, but I was still trying to think. I hated to admit it, but we were at a dead end.

"Looks like we're at a dead end," Tina muttered.

"Tell me about it," Dan grumbled. "We're out of options because there _are_ none."

Tina nodded. "Yeah. So... do we head back or... what?"

For some reason, I wasn't too sure about heading back just yet. My optics roved over the area, seeking any way to slip past those cyborgs and the Grimm. The whole thing seemed to be a bit too convenient to me, especially with the numbers. It was almost like... someone had been preparing this for years and years. Or close to it. Then that meant that there had to initially be human workers... and human workers meant that there had to have been vehicles used to traverse this landscape... which meant that there had to be roads around!

Or at least something akin to a road.

"Hold on," I said, catching their attention. Both women looked at me. "I just realized something."

"What?" Dan asked as she looked back at the hilltop. "Not like we can get past those things without drawing too much attention to ourselves."

"Well, think about it. All those cyborgs? Doesn't it seem a bit _too_ convenient for that many to be around each and every pool here? And on top of that... the Dust stockpiles." My optics bore into Tina's and Dan's eyes as I glanced at them both. "That amount of Dust can only come from years and years of mining and stockpiling. That means that there had to have been human workers at one time, but then as time passed, the cyborgs became more and more prevalent until there were no more workers."

"So? You're trying to say that there could be some old road around or something?" Dan asked sarcastically.

Tina's eyes flew wide at that. "Wait... Dan... I think Joseph might be on to something," she remarked. "It _is_ too convenient for all these cyborgs to be present here. And that means that these numbers were built up over the years. So... there may _be_ an old road somewhere we can use!"

"But will it allow us to sneak past these things?" Dan shot back.

Tina fell silent at that.

I snorted. "Not likely," I said. "But it does mean that there could also be underground tunnels."

"Oh, hell no! We are not going underground!" Dan growled at me. "We don't know-"

I cut her off. "I know that! But what choice do we _have?!_ " I yelled at her.

Dan's eyes narrowed, and for a moment I wondered if she was going to attack me like she used to back at Laplace, but then she sighed and rubbed her face with an armored hand. "Dammit... You're right. We _don't_ have a choice," she muttered.

Had I been able to, I would've blinked in shock. Instead my optics flashed in surprise. "Okay...? That's new," I muttered.

"What? I've matured a bit!" Dan snapped.

I chuckled a little at her remark. She hadn't changed very much after all.

I finally stood up. "Let's go. I don't wanna be here when those cyborgs get wind of our presence here."

Tina and Dan nodded, getting up to follow me. The three of us began the hunt for any secret underground roads that could lead us past the horde of cyborgs. It took us some time, but we eventually came upon a barely used path that crept past one of the pools. I studied it, taking note of the depressions that indicated a truck or large vehicle passed by some time ago. They were weathered, but still in decent enough shape for me to make out. We proceeded to follow the tracks until we came to what looked like an ancient rock structure, but further examination revealed it was more than that. It was an old underground parking entrance. And it looked like no one had bothered to maintain it since it was heavily rusted and weathered... or at the most just heavily corroded. The Dark Stuff no doubt had corroded and warped its features so it resembled a rock rather than a modern entrance to a parking garage.

A bit of fiddling around and some grunting and prying later, we managed to open the doors and slip inside undetected. That was a boon for us as it meant now we could try and find a way past the horde. My optics drifted up to the ceiling and I shuddered as I remembered the horde of cyborgs.

"Better hope they can't find us..." I muttered to myself. My voice echoed in the empty cavernous space, and I couldn't help but shudder. Truthfully I hadn't even thought about what my voice sounded like in such a space.

I brushed the thoughts aside though as Dan began looking around, using a fire Dust crystal to light up the area. She swept the light around as I flicked on my helm-mounted lights and Tina drew out her flashlight.

The three of us provided enough illumination to reveal the cracked and decaying pavement and structure around us. There were a few cars that remained, but they were no longer in use, and most of them were rotted or some were covered in that Dark Stuff, looking like monsters from an old horror film. I shuddered and inched back from them.

"Let's see... Is there any sign of a map anywhere?" Tina asked.

"I doubt that," Dan muttered. "This place is so old I doubt anything like that remains."

I had to agree with her on that one. "Yeah. So it looks like we'll have to do some exploring to try and get an idea for this place," I said seriously.

The two women nodded and we began to explore.

* * *

 _ **His lone eye roved over the monitors showing the exterior of his fortress and the pools. He had to admit those three were proving to be a rather interesting trio, especially as they had found one of the old entrances to the long abandoned underground parking garage. Oh yes, he knew they were in there. He had seen it through one of the shells when it came time to change positions.**_

 _ **He didn't want to disrupt their plans though, feeling that it would be a benefit to both him and his project if they were to make it to his fortress's interior. Yes. He was cunning, and he was patient. Much like Sammael, the fool. But he was not a Fallen, let alone a Grimm. He was a better organism than that.**_

 _ **His powerful central processing unit was more than capable of maintaining total control of his shells, so he was able to perform multiple tasks at once, especially as he now had full access to his full brain power and computer at once. One of the benefits to being a cyborg, he knew. And he enjoyed it. But he wanted to become more than a mere integrated being of flesh and metal. He wanted to be a perfect blend of organic material and technological systems.**_

 _ **But for now, he had other things to focus on, such as getting those three to his fortress and observing them.**_

 _ **The mecha was a smart one for sure, he knew. But he was still a human, even in a mechanical body. And humans made foolish mistakes.**_

 _ **Mistakes such as assuming he was not observing them.**_

 _ **One of the other advantages he had with the parking garage was that he had sensors installed all throughout it once his primary project was completed. And now... he had all eyes and ears fixed on the fools as they snuck through the abandoned tunnels.**_

 _ **Yes. It was all going according to plan...**_

* * *

I had to admit it.

I was terrified.

Not because of the fact we were beneath the Pools of Darkness, but... Okay. That was one of the reasons why I was scared shitless.

The other fact was that we came across skeletons. Loads and loads of them littering the floor of the underground parking garage. Or rather a few clusters of them. Yet some small part of my logic circuits told me it was just the darkness of the place that made it seem like there were more skeletons than there actually were. That did seem to make sense, as the darkness was still thick enough to smother our lights a good distance from us. Even my helmet lights couldn't really penetrate some ways beyond.

The darkness seemed to be suffocating the light, much like the Dark Stuff did in some ways.

I forced myself to focus on the matter at hand though, banishing the thoughts of monsters back to the depths of my processor. I was too old for that kind of stuff, anyway.

But it still didn't ease the sense of dread I was getting from this place.

I swept my gaze around us as we slowly made our way through the layer of bones, trying to avoid crunching any of them underfoot. And believe me, it was harder than it seemed as they were _everywhere_. I inched away from a grinning skull as it rolled my way. "Okay... this place is starting to give me the creeps," I muttered as I backed up a bit further. I finally made it past another cluster of skeletons and spotted my two teammates ahead of me. "Hey! Wait up!" I called.

Tina looked back as did Dan. "Well, then hurry!" Dan snapped.

"It's not easy to try and avoid a bunch of skeletons!" I shot back.

Dan merely rolled her eyes as she turned and started to walk on. "Whatever, metalhead."

I grumbled a bit as I jogged after.

We kept walking until we came to a door that looked like it had been forced open some time ago, which was probably years, if the amount of dust here was any indication. The door was hanging halfway from its hinges, and the entryway beyond looked like a dark gaping mouth, if the shards of ceiling were any indication to go by. The similarity made me shudder against my will, and my armor rattled against my metallic hide.

"Okay. That is just plain creepy," Tina muttered.

"Tell me about it!" I squeaked.

Dan looked back at me with an incredulous expression on her face, as if she hadn't seen me be terrified before. "You're a six-foot mech, and _you're_ scared of something insignificant like this?" she asked.

"N-No!" I stammered. "It's just... it resembles too much of a mouth!"

Dan snorted. "Sure... whatever..." She turned and wandered into the gaping blackness beyond, her fire Dust crystal starting to fade in the inky blackness. Tina and I ran after her. As we ran deeper into the darkness of the tunnel we were in, I began to get a strange feeling, almost like something was... I couldn't quite explain it then, but it felt like someone had their eyes on us. It was like a sensation that didn't exist, or something akin to it. It's still hard to describe, even today. But one thing that was clear was that I felt like we were being observed. My sensors didn't detect anything that could be observing us, which made me wonder if I was having a malfunction. But a quick scan confirmed my sensors were working properly.

I figured it had to be paranoia, as being in darkness like this was enough to drive anyone a bit batty.

So then why was I getting this feeling?

I tried to ignore it as best I could, but when we got to an intersection of sorts, the feeling got stronger. Tina's eyes flicked around, and she narrowed them, which made me think that she was also getting the same feeling. Dan, on the other hand, was either completely ignorant to the feeling or she didn't care. I later learned that she had gotten the same feeling, but she just hid it better than me and Tina.

"Great... now which way?" I grumbled.

Tina looked left and then straight ahead. "I dunno, Joseph," she said. "I mean, we could split up, but..."

"Then we risk getting lost," Dan muttered. "It's not a good idea to split up, especially given where we are."

The two of us nodded. "I agree," Tina remarked.

We proceeded to head down the passage straight ahead of us, only to come to a dead end filled with debris from the ground above. That seemed to confirm a theory that the Pools of Darkness didn't extend as far as some researchers theorized. My sensors weren't able to get an exact reading on how far belowground we were, but rough estimates did put us at least five hundred to a thousand feet below the surface of the earth. That was a good enough excuse to put a garage and tunnel network under here.

If anything, now that I looked closer at the walls, they seemed to be that of a Dust mine of sorts... or at least a transit passage of sorts.

Tina walked a bit further, only for her foot to trip on something and she collapsed. "Ow...!" she mumbled as she pushed herself into a sitting position. "That hurt..."

"What'd you trip on?" I asked as I walked over to help her to her feet.

"I dunno. But whatever it was, it hurt." Tina held up her flashlight and shone it down at the ground, only for her eyes to widen in shock at the shape of the rails beneath her feet. "Holy...!"

I was also shocked, as my optics flashed in surprise at the sight. "Holy crap...!" I turned to look at Dan. "Hey! Dan! Get a load of this!"

The redhead ran over as fast as she could, her eyes widening at the sight of the rails. They were covered in dust and looked kind of corroded, but they were still in decent shape. "What the hell?" she blurted.

"I think we came across a transit tunnel," I mused, looking around at the walls. A glance up at the ceiling confirmed my suspicions as I saw old lights that looked like they were coming apart. But some of them still looked as if they'd function as well. Or at least that's how it seemed at first glance.

A sudden skittering echoing across the old linoleum flooring caught my audio and I whirled around, my lights just barely illuminating a spindly leg followed by another as it seemed to scuttle past me. I yelped and leapt back a bit as Tina grabbed her rapier and Dan drew her sword. The creature emerged fully into our combined lights, and I gasped at the sight.

It was indeed a Spindle. The metallic plating seemed to become more bonelike and the cables that snaked out from several points to its leg hydraulics seemed to pulse and writhe a bit with life. No black sludge oozed from it, but it was covered in a sort of metallic organic skin, and its single red eye pulsed as it skittered into the darkness again. "Shit...!" I muttered. "Spindles..."

The Spindle didn't even hesitate as it leapt onto the ceiling and started to... gnaw... at one of the cables suspending the lights. I gasped as I saw that it was going to crush Tina, and I found myself moving on instinct - or programming - whichever one it was, my flight pack roaring in my audios as I grabbed onto Tina and pulled her close to my frame as the light crashed down behind us. I twisted my frame and landed on my back, feeling the impact on my flight pack before I came to a stop. Tina had buried her face in my chest, and I had her wrapped in my cloaked arms.

She slowly lifted her head, her eyes landing on my optics. Her hands were on my chest, and in the light from my helm-mounted lights, she seemed to take on an angelic glow. It was sort of an intimate and awkward moment at the same time, but then it was gone as she scrambled off of me and snapped her rapier into whip form. I got to my feet and pulled my beam magnum loose from my flight pack and aimed it at the Grimm above us.

Dan's sword was already wreathed in fire as she swung, Tina slashing with her whip and sending ice Dust right for it. I fired my gun, sending a charged shot right for the Spindle. Our combined attacks struck it, but they only dislodged it from the ceiling and it landed on its back. Its spindly legs wriggled like an insect's before it scrambled to its feet and skittered away into the blackness of the corridor. "Shit..." I muttered. "It got away."

"Yeah. But at least we know that those things exist," Dan remarked as she sheathed her blade.

"So now what?" Tina asked. "Do we go after it?"

I shook my helm. "No." Now I had an idea as to what was watching us. Or so I thought at the time. "We keep exploring."

"Fine. But..." Tina's stomach growled. "Could we take a rest?"

I wasn't too keen on spending the night in a dark place like this, but we had no other choice as it was getting late. (My internal clock read 2200 hours, which meant it was getting late up on the surface in Denver.) I nodded. "All right. But we're taking watches."

The two women nodded in agreement. A bit of discussion later and we decided that I would take the first watch, followed by Tina, then Dan.

When I finally fell into recharge, I couldn't help but shiver at the thought of those things watching us as we slept.

I had nightmares after that one.

Of course, things were only bound to get even more interesting, or worse in my optics.

When we got up and headed out again, this time we were on high alert for any sign of Spindles or other Grimm in the underground tunnels. The beams from my lights, Tina's flashlight, and a shard of fire Dust from Dan's stash were barely able to penetrate the darkness of the tunnels, which only made things seem even gloomier.

Frankly I was surprised none of us had gone insane or was starting to crack from the pressure and the atmosphere of terror and hopelessness we got from being down there. I later chalked it up to how our minds adapted to the weirdness surrounding our world, given that we lived with Faunus, and Mobians to boot. That was perhaps the _only_ reason we hadn't lost it. Any other normal person would've lost it down there.

We finally came upon another intersection, this time with two passages branching left and right, and a staircase leading upwards. I dimmed my optics as I studied it with a serious gaze. There was no way of telling if this staircase was below a Pool of Darkness or what, let alone if it was even structurally sound. My sensors could get a basic idea, but we needed a trained structural engineer to give us a firm idea of how well this place seemed to be holding up.

And I was _still_ getting that feeling of being watched.

I looked around the area, my optics dimmed a shade as I gripped my beam magnum in my hands. My psychoframe was by now exposed as I had slid my armor back sometime during the night, preferring to be prepared in case we came across another Spindle. My wings twitched as we slowly began to make our way up the stairs, Tina going in front and me bringing up the rear. I would've gone first, but I elected to stay behind to cover them because of my extra firepower and greater strength and agility.

Tina's body was ahead of Dan, and I watched as her flashlight vanished around a corner. Dan followed shortly after, and it was then that both their lights suddenly went dark. I was slowly backing up the stairs, so I guessed it had to be because of a door closing or something. But it was far from it. By the time I reached the next floor of the underground complex, I was the only one there.

I was shocked.

My optics flashed in worry as I turned around on the spot, my wings spreading a bit. "Hello? Tina? Dan?" I called. "Where are you guys?!"

I wasn't sure if it was some kind of a sick joke Dan was pulling or what, but something was _screaming_ at me that something was terribly wrong here. There was no way two trained Huntresses could suddenly vanish like that. It just didn't seem right...

At all.

My entire frame was tense, my hydraulics and systems poised for a possible attack, or something else. My arms shook a bit as I aimed my rifle into the depths of the darkness. That same feeling of being watched was even stronger now. I began to creep forward, my reactor now humming loudly in my chest and audios. I swept my gun around, pointing the barrel in any direction I could think of, whether it be at the ceiling or into a narrow crack in the floor. I was completely terrified, and it takes a lot to get me that scared.

Then, out of the corner of my optic, I saw them.

Two eyes in the darkness.

I whipped my frame around and aimed my rifle before I pulled the trigger, sending a charged beam shot right for the eyes with a panicked yelp. The eyes darted off, and a sleek, catlike shape leapt out of the shadows, landing on the ground and prowling away with uncanny speed and agility.

"W-What _was_ that?" I stammered.

I continued creeping along, my optics scanning around me as I expanded my sensors' range to maximum.

The last thing I expected was to see a sinister shape emerging from the shadows, its eyes glinting as it leapt towards me. I screamed in terror as the eyes grew larger and larger...

* * *

 _And then I was falling as I backed up. I screamed as I fell through the air, my wings spreading as I tried to activate my thruster pack. It sputtered and flickered, but it wasn't turning on. That sent panic surging through me and I braced myself for impact against the ground below me. But I didn't slam into it._

 _Instead, I landed in something soft and rather squishy. My optics were now wide as I squirmed and tried to claw my way out of the sticky substance as it began to crawl up my frame. I gasped as I watched it slither up to my chest, and then my right arm began to..._

 _I didn't expect to see what I saw, but it seemed like my arm was rusting away in front of me. I screamed loudly as the substance finally coated me from head to foot..._

* * *

Only for a scream to cut through the air and I gasped as my optics flashed online.

I glanced down at myself as I jolted upright, my hands flying over my frame to check for any sign of rusting or decay. I felt from my face down to my feet, and then I was checking my wings and weaponry, followed up by three entire systems scans. I glanced at my shaking hands, noticing how they shook in the glow from my psychoframe; my helmet lights had apparently shut off when I fell backwards.

I didn't know what happened at the time, but to me at that moment, it seemed like I had just... blacked out... and had a nightmare or something. I wondered if it was because of my lack of proper recharge.

I lifted my gaze from my hands and scanned around me, my optics finally landing on something that looked like a...

Wait...

Was that a _flash bang grenade?_

I scrambled to my feet, making my way towards it...

Only to stop at the culprit of whatever had been done to me.

The figure in question was a cat Mobian, without a doubt. His fur was entirely red with purplish markings on his body, and his eyes were a sinister yellow-green color, and his face was very angular compared to mine. His ears twitched as he got to his paws, rubbing at his eyes with one paw. "Dammit...!" he muttered. "Of all things to happen..."

"Who _are_ you?!" I snarled, startling him with my voice. My wings were flared menacingly and my optics were pulsing with a bright violet light, and coupled with the bright greenish-white light of my psychoframe, I guess I looked more like an avenging draconic angel in his eyes.

The Mobian didn't flinch or even display any form of terror. He merely narrowed his eyes as he studied me. "Hmm... Well... this is something new," he mused. "Then again, I'm not too surprised, given the kind of world we live in."

My wings arched as I crouched a bit, my optics flashing angrily. "Just who _are_ you?!" I growled again.

"Do forgive me. I'm not in the mood for questions at the moment," he sneered, his yellowish-green eyes flashing. I averted my gaze this time as his Aura, which was black in color, began to seethe. I wasn't able to fully avert my gaze, however, so I was starting to see things that would've terrified me had I been a little kid. But I ignored them. "Especially as I'm still looking for something for a little business venture of mine..." he purred, his voice seeming to become distorted and more evil sounding.

I ignored it as best I could. "Yeah? Well, try looking elsewhere, buster!" I hissed. "And you never answered my question! Who _are_ you?!"

The cat Mobian snarled, but he didn't relent. Realizing I was in a tight spot, and with that Aura and Semblance of his, I needed to figure out a way to avoid him or at least get some distance so I could fight him. Bad news: I had no idea on how to fight someone like _this_.

So I did the first thing that came to my mind: I turned and bolted as fast as I could. I was so tempted to fly, but in the dark catacombs of this underground base, and given the rather close quarters, I wasn't about to risk it. Especially since I could wind up damaging a wing or something. So I just ran. And behind me I heard the cat Mobian chuckling as he followed after me, trying to break me and get me to surrender or worse.

I vaulted over a collapsed steel beam and skidded around a corner before coming upon an old doorway that led into some kind of a communications room. I ducked behind an old console, plastering myself against it as tightly as I could. My psychoframe was still shining brightly, so I drew my cloak around my frame to try and dim its light, which was a godsend in this case. I even threw up my hood to keep myself hidden more effectively.

The cat Mobian's footsteps echoed as he approached the corridor I had vanished from.

Everything seemed to slow down for me at that moment. My optics were wide in terror and my reactor was racing within my chest and I swore I was going to hyperventilate. I was also shaking considerably, so it's a wonder he didn't hear my armor clattering against the metal of the console. Maybe he did, but I had no idea. Regardless, he wasn't interested in searching me out, as he continued on with whatever he was up to.

Or so I thought.

I slowly poked my head out from hiding, unaware of the figure hiding behind another console. I sighed in relief and slowly crawled out from my hiding spot, keeping my cloak around my frame this time so as to hide myself more effectively. My optics slowly roved around the area, scanning for any sign of that cat Mobian's Aura signature. And boy, was it a unique one. Pure black with nothing but utter _malice_ that caused it to be very erratic. So that meant he would be easy to detect on sensors.

I was so busy focusing on my scanners and radar that I failed to notice the figure behind the console getting to their feet and shaking their head.

At least until a female voice reached out to me.

"Wait... Joseph?"

I yelped and whirled around, aiming my Beam Burst Gun at the figure, only for them to raise two hands in surrender. "Wait! It's me!"

I studied the figure critically, noting at once that she was a woman in her early thirties, with red hair and bright blue eyes. She possessed a very curvaceous body, and she looked rather toned and athletic. At once I felt my optics drifting to her chest, which was bustier than that of either Dan or Tina, and her midriff was exposed, showing a very developed six pack for a woman. Her tank top and shorts clung to her curves nicely, and I felt that lump-like sensation forming in my throat before I gulped and shook my helm to remove those dirty thoughts from my processor.

"Sorry. I don't recognize you," I said seriously as I kept my gun aimed at her.

The woman scowled a bit before she ran a hand down her face. "For the love of..." She sighed. "Okay. Answer this then. What was the name of the airship we fought to protect from the Lancer swarm that day?"

I gaped in shock as the memory came back to me. Only my teammates had known what it was, and one of them had been...

" _Nick?!_ " I gasped, stunned at seeing _him_ after all this time, even if _he_ was wearing the body of a buxom and very attractive woman.

She nodded. "Yes. But remember, as a woman, I tend to go by the feminine pronouns."

I nodded back. "Right. Sorry. But..." I folded my Beam Burst Gun back against my right arm in storage. "What are you doing down here? And why are you wearing that body?"

Nick sighed. "To put it simply, Dan wasn't the only one Minovsky called upon," she said seriously, her borrowed blue eyes hardening into shards of glacial ice. "Especially given that sneaky Mobian around here."

"Wait... that cat Mobian?" I asked.

Nick nodded. Her borrowed face was etched in a serious look that only Nick could do, and I found it a bit unnerving. "Okay...? Just who is that freak?" I asked. "And... was it you that threw that flash bang grenade?"

My friend nodded. "It was me," she replied. "And as for your second question... his name is Katz."

Katz... why did that name sound familiar to me? I dimmed my optics until they were barely online and bowed my head, wracking my processors for any information I could recall. The only real person with that name was a cat Mobian... A cat Mobian like the one I had barely escaped from! My optics flashed back to full brightness at the realization. "You mean... that serial killer?!" I blurted.

Nick nodded grimly. "Yes," she said. "I was ordered to follow him here by Minovsky as well as Sebben."

" _Sebben?!_ " I breathed, shock nearly flooring me.

The woman's head nodded. "Yes. But don't ask why. Just know that he sent me and Dan here to try and bail you two out. Only now it seems like we have to try and bail them out as well."

I nodded. "Right. Only question now is... where do we begin looking?"

* * *

 _ **New Grimm Sighted**_

 **Name: Spindle**

 **Classification: Insectoid**

 **Appearance: Metallic organic skin that is black in color, metal bonelike plates on upper body, and single red eye. Walks on several spindly legs, cables that writhe and pulse with life connected to hydraulics to provide movement for the legs.**

 **Abilities: Can gnaw through cables or ropes with a hidden 'mouth' on their front. Able to climb anything due to their legs and their appearance. Other abilities unknown.**

 **Origin: Some speculate that this Grimm came from Sammael, but recent evidence seems to suggest that these Grimm were formed when probes were lowered into the Pools of Darkness to try and measure their depths, only for the Dark Substance to corrupt them and turn them into a new kind of Grimm. Numbers are a threat, but individually can be taken down by even a team of trainee Huntsmen or Huntresses.**

* * *

 **Name: Katz**

 **Species: Mobian**

 **Aura: Black**

 **Semblance: Terror Infusion**

 **Description: His Semblance allows him to project images of terrifying images directly into his opponents' vision. It is high effective in getting them to surrender or succumb to his will. However, it can be countered by throwing a flash bang grenade or disrupting his concentration with a loud racket.**

 **Weapon: N/A**

 **Note: Katz is a very notorious villain, being a serial killer with very sadistic tendencies. His crimes are listed in the Hunters database and include the following offenses: illegal breeding of flesh-eating spiders, sabotage of a United States naval submarine, and illegal fights pitting innocent civilians against hostile Grimm.**


	10. Arc 0 - Danger Rises 3

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **(** _A scene of chaos is shown at the famous Navy Pier in Chicago as creatures bearing black skin and white bone plates attack the civilians, but then a youth decides to intervene in the fight, only to get injured severely._ **)**

 **Start Period - Fullmetal Alchemist OST**

 **(** _The boy is shown in a hospital, lying on a bed as the camera pans in on the flashing light before it fades to blackness._ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **At last we're here at the half way point** **(** _A pair of violet optics flash online as the screen pans out to show a dark blue colored mecha with a pair of draconic wings on the back as he stands atop a building in a city surrounded by mountains._ **)**

 **In the heart of our endless journey** **(** _The mecha flares his wings and takes flight as he draws out a sword from his shield, charging at an imposing black Grimm with large wings and scars across its body._ **)**

 **At last, while everything still is calm (** _As the two collide a flash of light is shown to reveal a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes looking at the camera, a rapier in her left hand as she holds a Dust canister in her right._ **)**

 **Take a deep breath (** _She swings her sword, only for it to extend into a whip as it swirls with wind around it, curtesy of the wind Dust in the chamber._ **)**

 **We both have just began to grasp it (** _The wind engulfs the screen only to vanish as fire surrounds a sword, the camera panning out to show a redheaded woman with a fiery sword in her grasp._ **)**

 **But it's slipped out of our hands (** _The woman slashes with her sword as the camera follows the shockwave before it hits a wasp-like Grimm, incinerating it before the camera is engulfed in flames._ **)**

 **And we will learn from those fragile mistakes (** _The flames vanish as the camera moves up and out of them, showing a city under siege. **)**_

 **'til nothing stands in our way (** _The city defenses struggle to keep the Grimm Horde at bay, only to be aided by two more figures, one of them leaping into the air and firing a Dust-laced rocket from a rocket launcher at the closest Grimm._ **)**

 **An unbreakable bond will forever link our hearts (** _The two figures land, one of them being a man wearing a trench coat and behind him appears a buxom woman in shadow as beside him stands a woman with a hammer in one hand, her gaze locked onto the sky above them._ **)**

 **There's no spell, no hell, that will undo us (** _The camera pivots to show the two from the side and then from the front, only this time they stand beside the mecha and other two women as they stand in front of a large metallic structure._ **)**

 **We have made it here at last (** _The fortress is shown in all its glory, cybernetic organisms lurking around it and several of them aim at the camera as two sinister green optics appear behind the scene, flaring brightly._ **)**

 **In this never ending dance (** _The light envelops the camera only for it to vanish as the scene shows a woman with blonde hair and a man with a slightly darker shade of blonde hair standing in front of the mountain city, the others landing beside them._ **)**

 **And we'll live through us the period of time (** _The group lunges at the screen, weapons drawn as more Grimm attack._ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

* * *

 _Opening Files: The Vist Foundation_

 _Originally starting as a political think tank for advocating Faunus rights, the Vist Foundation has since expanded into a powerful multi-industrial conglomerate. The founder of the group, Syam Vist, started to see the advantages in employing Faunus and Mobians alike in equal conditions to human members, and thus began to bridge the gap in rights. However, the rise of Satyra, the extremist group, has led to the think tank undergoing a shift from political activists to industry to distance themselves from the terrorists. Syam decided to turn his efforts into helping wounded Hunters and Huntresses, mostly in terms of physicsl wounds such as losing limbs._

 _This led the fledging company to start researching prosthetic limbs, becoming something of an anomaly in that field. Their prosthetics started out rather primitive, but as time passed they got better and better at developing them, even including a small processor unit that, unfortunately, has to be connected into the brain to allow for full use of the limb. Recent advances in technology, coupled with the new nuclear fusion reactor developed by Dr. Minovsky, led to a new proposal that has since been considered controversial by many in the scientific community._

 _After s meteorite crashed at one of their research facilities, the new head of the Vist Foundation, Cardias Vist, ordered it to be excavated. The meteorite was at first feared to be another Dark Substance, but subsequent testing and analysis debunked that fear, instead discovering it was made of a metal totally unknown to humankind. Testing of this metal led to some surprising results and discoveries, such as that it was incredibly resistant to any Dust-based weaponry, and that the Dark Substance didn't cause it to become corrupted. But it was also surprisingly heavy in a plate form, so there was no way it could be used in standard armor._

 _Dr. Minovsky provided a solution and a possible project that used the metal as well. Thus, Project GUNDAM was born._

 _Despite the intense controversy that surrounds the company and their project, they still remain as one of the top prosthetic limb manufacturing companies in the world, as well as advocating for equal Faunus rights through diplomacy and discussion rather than violence._

 _Close File_

* * *

"What is activism? Activism can come in many forms, but there is one that can sometimes lead to drastic changes, for good or ill in the world. And that is political activism. Many people throughout history have striven to reach their goals through the use of political activism, and sometimes they've succeeded. That right there is what makes a democracy so powerful, because it's the combined _will of the people_ that makes those laws," TOM explained as he closed the Vist Foundation file. "But there are those who seek to use it to also further their own agenda, usually through people representing their interests. Those people are called lobbyists, and are usually representing industry. That can lead to conflicts of interest at times, but in the end, if things are going against the will of the people, the people will always find a way to overcome it. So, if you have something you're willing to fight for, then get out there and encourage others to take a political stand against those who wish to diverge from the right thing."

* * *

I had to admit, it was good to see a friend again, especially Nick. But I still wanted to know one thing.

"So, why are you wearing that body?" I asked her.

Nick snorted. "It was the only one that would attract attention from the males," she remarked dryly. A smirk crossed her face. "You know I prefer the sexy ones. Makes infiltration all the easier for me."

The two of us were now making our way through the corridors of the underground complex, searching out my two companions. After a bit of discussion, we decided to check out the command center - if we could find it - and hopefully try and get the old power system back online; I highly doubted we could though, given the age of the old place.

"And you..." My voice trailed off as Nick's borrowed blue eyes glinted in that smirk only a woman could have.

"Best way to win a man's heart is through his person," she giggled.

Nick's Semblance was a unique one, I remembered. _His_ Semblance, Phantasm, was perhaps the only one that allowed _him_ to phase into objects and linger there as an unseen observer. However, there was an unintended side effect if _he_ stayed in that state for a time: _he_ could possess people and take complete and total control of their body, making it _his_ own. _His_ first possession turned out to be a woman in her late twenties, and I remembered the moment _he_ found out, resulting in a panic attack that caused _him_ to faint. When _he_ came to, at first Nick thought it was only a dream until _he_ heard the voice of the host coming out rather than _his_ own, and well... _he_ wound up groping _his_ new breasts, finding that they were...

I'm not going into detail. It still makes me uneasy. All I'll say is that _he_ had a good time. But that ability let Nick gather information from some very powerful men who loved to bed hot women, especially regarding Satyra's activities.

Anyway, Nick and I wandered through the corridors until we came to a larger intersection. Nick's eyes narrowed as she gripped the rocket launcher in her arms.

"Any sign of them?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No. And nothing on radar, either," I replied.

Nick growled to herself as she peeked down another corridor. I had to admit, this was very unnerving, to say the least. My radar was going full power, scanning for any sign of the two Huntresses, as well as that sleaze ball, Katz. At least this way I'd know if he was around.

We continued to venture down the next corridor, this time to the right, and I paused, my radar starting to act up. "Nick... we got trouble," I whispered.

Nick looked up, raising her launcher. She glanced at me. "What's up?" she asked.

"I'm getting something... Something very familiar," I muttered. My optics flared in response. "And I'd betcha anything it's him!"

And boy, was I right.

The first thing I did was avert my gaze as we approached where the signature was coming from. That smooth, almost cultured voice reached out from the darkness, and I tensed.

"So... you two will be the first guests in my new lodge," he was saying. "And I have a good price for you..."

Tina's muffled voice came out from the darkness and I plastered myself against the wall, inching as close as I dared. I slowly stuck a hand into the opened room, but Katz didn't even notice. But I still pulled it back anyway.

"Oh, come now. You truly think I would do something so evil?" Katz purred.

I felt my reactor increase its humming in my chest and I clenched my fists on my beam magnum. I was not going to let that sleaze ball of a cat get away with this... whatever his scheme was!

The muffled voice of Dan was next to emit from the room, and Nick slipped up to my side, holding her launcher at the ready. Her teeth were gritted and I could sense her body was tense for a battle. The two of us however were up against a serial killer, and one who knew how to fight dirty. Especially when it came to psychological warfare. I hissed through my vents as I wracked my processor for a plan of any type. But nothing came to my mind.

"Nick... I'm gonna need some ideas here!" I hissed.

The woman's face frowned, and I knew Nick was trying to come up with a plan. What I didn't expect was to see the woman's body suddenly slump and I reacted, grabbing her and catching the rocket launcher as I saw Nick emerge from her, like he was shedding a suit or clothing. He slowly pulled himself out from her, and then his body became solid.

I looked at his host, noticing how she had passed out. "Don't worry," he told me. "She's fine."

I knew he was right about the issue, but it was still eerie as hell to see him do it.

Nick's real human form was five foot one, the shortest of us all, and he had shaggy black hair that hung over one green eye. His clothing was basically a trench coat with the sleeves below the elbow covering a green T-shirt and blue jeans that were muddy at the bottom. Combat boots adorned his feet. He grabbed the rocket launcher from my hands and his body became transparent as he phased through the wall.

I slowly poked my head in through the doorway, noticing his transparent image slinking closer to Katz. I wondered what he was up to. I knew he was a pacifist, but to see him creeping around with his rocket launcher held at the ready made me wonder if he had become less of a pacifist than he had been when at Laplace. Nick's hand slowly reached out and brushed through Katz, earning a mild shudder from him before his hand reached a nearby speaker, and then Nick's body was... I still can't accurately describe it, aside from that it seemed like he was sucked right in. One minute he was there, next he was gone. I had seen it happen before, but it still gave me the willies.

My frame shuddered and I had to try and keep my armor from clattering and waking up Nick's host, as well as catching Katz's attention.

Katz looked around, his eyes narrowing. "Hmm... Must be the air in this place..." he muttered. A sneer then crept across his features. "Although... this does give me an idea for my lodge..." he purred sinisterly.

Dan and Tina both began to protest and cry out in muffled tones, which made me suspect they were gagged. I slowly inched closer, peeking around the corner as much as I dared.

I gasped to myself in shock.

Tina and Dan were both there, all right. And they were bound and gagged, like I had suspected. But the _way_ they were bound made me sick to my nonexistent stomach.

Dan's legs were more spread than Tina's, but Tina was tied in a spread-eagled fashion, her hands over her head and legs at an angle towards Katz. Dan on the other hand was lashed down on a chair, legs splayed wide open, as if ready for...

Now _that_ was it. My optics dimmed a bit before flaring brightly. "Oh... that's it!" I muttered to myself. "He is going down!"

" _Not yet!_ " Nick's voice hissed from the speaker closest to me. I yelped and almost dropped his host, but caught her in time.

"Shit... Nick! Tell me you at least have a plan!" I growled.

" _I do. But I need you to stay put a bit longer!_ " he whispered.

I huffed, but did as he asked. However, I leaned in again, this time observing Katz to see what Nick was up to.

For a long while, or in reality only thirty seconds, there was nothing but silence, and Katz's eerie chuckling. "So, my dears... which one of you shall be the first to experience our... luxury rooms?" he sneered.

Then, I heard it.

Static. Static coming from the speaker in the room. Katz turned and narrowed his eyes. He walked over to it and tapped it with a finger. "What is this? I thought this place was abandoned."

" _You... who dare... to disturb my tomb..._ " an eerie voice whispered, issuing from the speaker. " _You... who dare... to disturb... my rest... You shall... suffer... the consequences..._ "

Some small part of me shuddered at the very realistic way Nick was manipulating the speaker to distort his own voice. And the rest of me... was just very creeped out. I forced myself to focus though as I laid Nick's host down on the ground and started to creep in, my reactor whirring loudly in my audios. My wings twitched as I slowly inched my way into the room, my optics locked onto Tina's and Dan's locations. My frame was tense as Nick's voice continued to emit from the speaker, keeping Katz distracted.

Time was the only thing we needed. I wasn't sure how long Nick could keep up the act.

But it was just long enough for me to get the job done. I swiftly ignited one of my beam tonfas and went to work on cutting the restraints on Tina and Dan. I had to move somewhat slowly, but efficiently. And during that time I was scared that Katz would catch on. But thankfully that wasn't an issue.

I finally finished cutting their bonds and was helping them to their feet when Katz finally decided to ignore the continued moaning and groaning from Nick's distorted voice. And that was when he spotted me.

"You!" he snarled, his black Aura flaring.

I reacted by lowering my head and charging at him, using my helmet to head-butt him full force in the face. His Aura did shield him, but his focus was disrupted so he couldn't use his Semblance. And that was just what I needed. I smirked to myself in my thoughts as he looked up, his eyes somewhat glazed from my hit. I grabbed his head in one of my massive hands, and I whipped my frame around, throwing him clear across the room. He went rolling and came to a stop, his Aura slightly weaker than before.

I stood there as he staggered to his feet, one eye squinted shut. I noticed this, and I began to wonder if his Semblance needed both eyes to make eye contact with his adversary. The longer he gazed at me, the more I began to feel I was right. I mentally sneered at him. But since my facial features couldn't allow for expressions physically, I flashed my optics instead. Some small part of me wished I was human still, but for the most part I was fully adjusted to my circumstances. I chuckled a little though.

Katz narrowed his one good eye. "What's so funny?" he asked in a snarl.

"Just that you're so foolish," I bluffed, "to take on one such as myself."

A slight shimmering from behind indicated that Nick was emerging from the speaker, and I needed to buy some time. But one thing I wanted to know was... what was this guy doing down here? I mean, sure I knew he was a serial killer and always seeking to make a business venture, even if it was to cause suffering on others, but this was not what I had expected. It was... so weird to see him down here. Maybe he was collecting Grimm for one of his ventures? That did seem possible, given he was a notorious killer and criminal.

Katz was unaware of Nick as his body solidified behind him. "So you say..." he sneered, his left eye starting to pry itself open and I braced for the first signs of his Semblance.

Only he never got a chance to use it.

The sound of metal hitting flesh reached my audios and then he landed on the ground, his eyes closed and blood oozing from his head injury. I snorted as I stood up. "Good thinking," I muttered as I nudged the killer with a foot. "About time you did that."

"That creep is not going to be getting away with whatever he was planning for long," Nick mused as he became tangible long enough for him to help me get the two women out of this room and into the hallway.

Tina and Dan were just overjoyed to see me. Nick by that time had phased out of sight and vanished. I guessed he must've been heading back to his host.

I didn't even bother to ask as I led the two women to a safer place.

"About time you showed up!" Dan grumbled.

"Yeah, well, I ran into an old friend," I remarked with a light chuckle.

"Who?" Tina asked.

Dan's eyes narrowed. "Let me guess. Buxom woman, rocket launcher?" she inquired.

I was surprised at her guesses. "H-How'd you...?" My voice trailed off as Dan snorted.

"Only he'd use such tactics," the redhead muttered. "Nick Mallory. A good kid, but a bit of a coward."

"Hey!" I growled. "He's not a coward!"

The two of us glared at each other for a moment before Tina piped up. "Okay...?"

I sighed, running a hand down my faceplate. "Okay. Tina, Nick is one of our teammates, and well... he has this preference for using the bodies of busty women to gain information on enemy activities from men who worked with them or know of them. He's skilled in infiltration, which makes him a coward in Dan's eyes," I briefly explained. "His Semblance allows him to possess the women, as well as linger inside objects to gain intelligence by being a silent observer."

Tina's eyes went wide. "Okay... That's just plain creepy..." she muttered.

"Trust me, that's exactly how I felt," I remarked.

Dan snorted. "Now that we have that out of the way, let's find the guy and meet up."

I nodded. "Right."

I waited a little bit, allowing the two women to finally regain their strength and then we got up and left, leaving the unconscious Katz behind. I paused for a moment, however. "Hold on."

I didn't want to leave this killer to roam freely in this place, so I hunted around for some cable or something and was rewarded when I came across a bunch of wires that lay on the floor. I grabbed them and made my way back to the serial killer Mobian. I knelt and proceeded to truss his arms and legs up good so he wouldn't bother us while we hunted for a way out of this creep house.

Once that was done, I stood and gave him a kick with my metal foot for good measure. "That'll keep him in place," I muttered as I left.

Some part of me felt disgusted and I felt an urge to wash my foot, but I ignored it. I could always clean up later. Once we got back to Denver, that is.

Anyway, we made our way back to the hall where Nick was getting reacquainted with his host body, and he.. or rather, _she_... was already flexing her arms and running her hands down her body, as if feeling the flesh and muscle of a female form for the first time. She looked up, and at once she squeaked and stopped her fondling.

I just shook my helm. ' _Just forget it,_ ' I thought to myself. ' _We got other things to worry about._ '

The four of us continued on the hunt for a way out. Nick led us through the tunnels, but I _still_ was getting the feeling of being watched. My optics flicked left and right, my vision keen enough to pick out anything out of the ordinary, but nothing was visible. Even to my sensors. So then why was this feeling persisting?

I was so busy thinking I didn't even notice I was lost.

At least until I smacked into a wall. I fell back, my forehead searing with pain as I grasped it with a hand. "Owwww!" I muttered. "Note to self: watch where you're going."

I got to my feet, rubbing my helm with one hand before I looked around, realizing that I wasn't picking up my friends or Tina anywhere on my radar. "Dammit... I just _had_ to get lost!" I muttered, grumbling under my breath as I started to walk. I wasn't even sure if I could find my way out without my friends or whatnot. I began to wonder if I would be stuck down here, forever.

That thought sent shivers down my back struts. "Oh... shit..." I muttered. "I... I gotta find a way outta here!"

I turned and started to run as fast as I could. I pushed the hydraulics in my legs to the limit, weaving, dodging, and running around corridors, up and down staircases, past Grimm as they started to linger in the area, no doubt feeding off of Katz' hostile emotions. I either cut through them with my beam tonfas or avoided them like the plague. The more I ran, the more panicked I became.

I ran and ran and ran.

The walls were beginning to close in on me.

I felt my reactor racing in my chest double time.

My vision was beginning to darken as shock and panic started to overtake me.

I felt my frame shaking as I practically flew down the hallways.

My wings were twitching like crazy.

And then I slammed full force into a door.

That was the last thing I recalled before I blacked out.

* * *

' _Ugh..._ '

I groaned as I slowly came to.

My vision was filled with static as I felt my systems coming online slowly.

' _What...happened? Last thing I remember was... slamming into a door full force..._ '

I adjusted my optics, trying to clear the static from my vision. I shook my helmet, feeling the static dissipating to expose familiar shapes and colors. I managed to sit up, raising a hand to rub at my helm.

Only to feel a bandage around my head.

Confusion flooded my frame as I brought my optics online fully and glanced down at myself, checking for anything wrong with me.

Much to my surprise, my armor now shimmered with a glossy sheen, and whatever dents and nicks I had sustained so far over my career as a Huntsman were repaired, save for some of them which was a surprise. I had not expected to see some of the damage I sustained retained. And actually, now that I thought about it, it kind of fit me, seeing as how some Hunters and Huntresses bore the scars of their careers proudly. Some of my damages were covered with bandages, which was a surprise given how I was no longer flesh and blood. But maybe there was a reason for that. I decided to ignore it for now and I decided to try and figure out where the hell I was.

My optics roved around the area I was in, and I was shocked, to say the least, to find out that I was no longer in the underground complex, but in a small hut that was just on the outskirts of the entrance - I later learned - I had slammed into full force, leaving a nice Gundam-shaped indent in the metal doors.

The hut wasn't very big, but the one who was living there was obviously skilled in repairs and maintenance of robotics.

My gaze landed on my cloak, which hung over a chair, all the tears and gashes neatly sewn shut - a much better job than I could've done, at any rate. That actually surprised me.

Obviously whomever lived here was a survivalist of some kind. Or maybe a class V Hunter, which proved that they could survive in a place like this. Not just anyone had the experience to live in the Darklands for very long as it was, and still is, incredibly dangerous to do so. I looked around the hut, taking in the appearance of the stuff inside and of the contents. I was even more surprised to find that I still retained my weapons, especially my beam magnum which was lying right beside me. Clearly whoever had repaired and cleaned my armor was trusting enough to give me the run of the place while leaving me armed.

Either that or they were plain crazy.

Either way, I got to my feet and shook my helm to lessen the pounding of my processor. My vision swam briefly but then it stabilized and I looked around the room.

I could see a table with some chairs around it that looked as if they had been there for some time. The place was bare, no decorative interior furnishings, nothing of that nature to make the place a home. Only a small table, a fire pit, some earthen pots and pans, and a small cot furnished the interior. The place was truly bland and bare.

I wandered over to the door and peered outside, my optics landing on the exit I had just slammed into... how long had I been out for?

I checked my internal clock and was surprised to see that it had been a few days. Had I really hit the door that hard?! And... wait... what about my friends and Tina?! Panic raced through my frame as I bolted out of the shack, only to feel dizziness swamp over me. I collapsed onto my chest, panting as I felt a sensation of nausea surging through me. I made a gagging sound from my vocalizer, but I couldn't throw up. Nor could I gag. Not since I had been transferred into this frame. I shuddered from the feeling of nausea and I groaned.

"Oh, my! This simply will not do!" a voice called out.

The next thing I knew a hand was slipping itself under my chest and someone was hauling me to my feet. "You should know better than to be out and about in your condition!"

I could only groan weakly as I was helped back into the shack. For some reason my head was starting to ache, and my frame felt warm. I wondered if my reactor was starting to overheat, but then I dismissed it. There would be readouts that showed how high my reactor's temperature was getting, and so far it was still within normal operational levels. But then why was my frame feeling so warm? Was I sick?

The thought made me laugh. Was I sick? No! I was a Gundam, not a human. And yet, the feverish ache building within my processor seemed to say otherwise. Maybe I was just suffering an overheating issue. Sometimes it happened. But it never persisted as long as this one did. I groaned again and this time I swore something was twisting in my lower torso. Or akin to it, since my psychoframe usually simulated feeling rather well.

The female speaker ushered me back into the hut and lay me down on the cot, reaching for some bandages that lay beside it.

She - yes, she - started to remove the bandages on my frame, but I couldn't even protest I was so weak from...whatever was wrong with me. It was so weird, to be feeling so strong and yet unable to do much as you felt you couldn't lift a finger or whatever. I was definitely starting to suffer from overheating at this point as steam was starting to emit from the cooling vents on my frame. I was starting to lose consciousness as my vision swam in and out of focus. Readouts popped up in my vision, warning me of issues I couldn't comprehend at the time since I was so dizzy and out of it.

The last thing I felt when I blacked out was a cool cloth on my forehead, to try and ease my headache.

* * *

I had no idea how long I was in that state.

Visions swam before me, urging me to wake up, but I couldn't. I was too feverish.

The hallucinations were too vivid.

My mind wasn't able to separate fact from fiction at the moment.

I didn't know what was wrong with me.

A few times I apparently woke up, but then fell back into an offline state, unable to remain awake any longer than a few moments at a time.

It was about a month later I woke up for what appeared to be the fifteenth time in just as many days, or so it seemed. My vision swam back into view, the familiar readouts fading back into the corners of my sight.

I let out a weak groan as I turned my head, feeling the cool fabric of a damp cloth against my forehead. The overheating sensation that had plagued me for the last few weeks was gone, and I was shivering from the lack of that heat. A warm blanket was over my shaking frame, and I could hear voices.

I slowly turned my head in the direction of the voices, only to stare in shock at the sight of my friends, Nick, Dan, and Tina sitting around the table with the woman who rescued me. I tried to turn up my audio receptors so I could hear better, but the effort took a toll on me and I nearly passed out again. It was only due to sheer willpower I refused to black out. Especially as I needed to know what was going on.

"...he even get a fever?!" Tina was demanding.

Dan's voice was next. "You gotta remember, Katz' Semblance is his means of convincing people to surrender or bend to his will. So there is that effect. If his concentration is broken, then there will be fever-like symptoms," she was explaining. "So it makes sense that he'd be suffering from that for a while."

"But a whole _month?!_ " a familiar masculine voice shouted.

That was what got me to snap awake fully. My optics flashed in recognition at the voice of Hunter Jenkins. But what in the world was he doing _here_!? Did that mean others were there, too?

"Sometimes if you get hit with a particularly bad terror vision, it can last for a while," Dan remarked.

"But that still doesn't explain the fact that he was able to even _get_ a fever, given his condition," the cool voice of Martha Preston stated. "He's not even human like us anymore, remember?"

Rachel Coupe's voice snorted. "Don't think we've forgotten that."

Wait... what were my best friends _and_ old teammates doing here?

I managed to shift on the bed, lifting myself up onto my elbows, despite the fact my arms were shaking at the effort of supporting my full weight. The woman was next, and she didn't really resemble so much a woman as a Mobian. She was in actuality a Faunus, a coyote Faunus, to boot since she possessed the tail and ears of one. But she looked kind of portly, but something told me to not disregard her as a weakling. If anyone could survive this long, it was a seasoned Hunter. And she even looked the part, with a saber laced with Dust secured against her waist, despite the old, but well-kept apron, pants and shirt. Her feet were heavily calloused and bare, which surprised me, but I ignored it. She was the next one to speak.

"Well, it's clear his fever's broken," she said. "So he'll be good to go in a few days."

Tina shot a glance back over her shoulder at my bed just as my arms gave way, letting me fall backwards onto my back again. My wings thankfully were splayed out to either side of me, so they weren't uncomfortable.

I didn't feel so good again as I felt that churning in my lower torso, like my stomach was twisting itself in knots had I been human. A groan escaped my vocalizer.

Tina was on her feet in a flash as the others whipped their gazes over to look in my direction.

She was the first one by my side. "Joseph?" Her voice was tinged with worry as she sat down on the floor. I managed to look into her blue eyes with my violet optics, but then my vision swam and I just flopped back on the bed. "Ugh... I... I don't feel good..." I whined.

"That's to be expected, since Nick here interrupted Katz' terror vision," Dan grunted as she smacked her companion. Nick grunted as she rubbed her head.

I managed to squash the queasiness as best I could, but it still didn't feel good. "H-How...?" My voice trailed off as Hunter approached, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Long story short, Seph," he remarked, using my old nickname out of habit, "when you guys didn't come out after a few days, Sebben and ol' Minovsky sent out a call for us, and well... we went in after you. It was by pure luck we found your other teammates, and Rachel was scouting out near the border to the Darklands of GrimmFall when she got the call. It didn't take her long to get here. As for us, we were out doing an escort mission when we got the word."

"We didn't expect to find you in this house though," Martha added. "If it wasn't for Valoria here, we'd've assumed you were dead."

A pang of guilt surged through my chest and I grimaced in my thoughts. "Sorry..." I rasped.

Tina finally looked at the Faunus. "I know you're confused, but here's the rundown. After you slammed into that door and knocked yourself out, Valoria found you inside the underground complex. She took you back to her home and healed what injuries you managed to inflict on yourself with that impact. You had a dislocated shoulder joint and one of your wings was limp, not to mention the fact one of your ankle joints was broken. That... and the potential for a damaged processor," she explained. "Thankfully you didn't have that, so that's one worry we don't have to be concerned over. But the damage to your frame was kind of bad. So when we got here, you were in a half-conscious state, passing in and out of consciousness due to the fever. So it was kind of touch and go for a few weeks."

"Touch and go...?" I was confused.

"In short, we weren't sure your fever was gonna break," Rachel admitted. "But it did."

Some small part of me was relieved that they had been there, but the rest of me was still concerned about what was going to happen next.

Rachel seemed to sense my confusion and sighed. "Once you're healed and recovered, our mission is to get out of here... once we finish the job that Sebben had for us."

"Huh?" I managed to push myself into somewhat of a sitting position, feeling my strength starting to return. "Whaddya mean?" I asked.

She simply held out a note. "Sebben wrote this out, but it came from Minovsky himself, the old geezer." A smirk was on her face. I took it in one hand and examined it. The note was simple, but it laid out our mission objective.

 _To Joseph Matthews._

 _I've heard of the news from Sebben and your old teammates. This is indeed worrisome, as it proves that someone is manipulating the City Guard of Denver. I fear that someone may be in cahoots with the Fallen. I can't say much on this matter as this letter could be intercepted. But to be clear, and to get to the issue, your mission is simple: rather than just wander the Darklands, your objective is to find my old 'friend' Ionesco. If what I heard is true, then he may be up to something. Your task is to find him and stop him, no matter what it takes._

 _We will be expecting a full report once you get out._

 _Dr. Torenov Y. Minovsky.  
Nuclear Physicist, Vist Foundation_

 _Dr. Cardias Vist.  
Chief Executive Officer, Vist Foundation_

I was surprised, but at the same time relieved that we actually had a mission objective now.

I looked up. "So that's it, huh?" I asked.

Rachel nodded as she plucked the letter from my grasp. "Yep. The old guy may be a bit out there sometimes, but he's usually right in regards to his former colleague."

We spent a few more days at Valoria's house, allowing me to rest and recover more of my strength. By the fourth day, I was fully healed and my strength had fully returned. We thanked the Faunus woman and she nodded back before telling us to be careful.

Now we had to find a way into the fortress ahead of us.

But that was going to be a lot easier said than done at this point.

And boy, was I right.

* * *

I watched from a distance as the fortress hummed with activity. Beside me Nick had her rocket launcher resting on the rocks we were huddled behind. Dan was busy checking her sword over and the rest of the group sat around the campfire Tina had set up a few hours ago.

It had been a full week after I had fully recovered from my ordeal at the hands of Katz and his Semblance when we headed out. The seven of us managed to find a sheltered spot from which we could observe the fortress and try to get a layout of the land so as to try and sneak inside. Getting past the cyborgs guarding the Pools was one thing, but to sneak inside was another. My optics dimmed a shade as I watched a few cyborgs change guard shifts.

"Man... these things are never ending..." I muttered under my figurative breath.

Nick nodded. "Yeah. It's like they're constantly spawning or something."

"I doubt that," Dan grumbled from behind us. "These things are not Grimm by any means. They have very real limits, but we don't know _what_ those limits are... yet."

I had to admit, my old teammate had a point. There was no way to be sure we could even get past these things without knowing how long they could fight, and we had no idea if they had any other Dust weapons on them. This was an issue that had to be corrected.

I prepared to stand up, only for Nick's hand to fly out and grab me by my arm, pulling me back down. I glanced at her in surprise. "What's the big deal?!" I hissed.

Nick shook her head. "You wanna get blasted to bits?!" she growled.

I paused, realizing she was right. If I even dared to set foot out there, I was sure to get blasted to bits.

I pulled back as I scanned the area with my radar and optics. The cyborgs patrolling the perimeter of the fortress were well armed, but they only followed a preset patrol route. And there was always a cyborg at least five feet behind the first, so it was a never ending cycle of cyborgs wandering around the perimeter. "Shit..." I muttered. "There's no way to get past those things."

Hunter grunted from his spot. "Just forget it for now," he said. His eyes flicked over to me as I scurried back down the hillside to join my friends and old teammates around the fire, Nick joining me a short while later. I sat down on one of the rocks around the fire.

"So, what's the plan then?" I asked Dan, who seemed to have more of a grasp on things regarding the mission.

Dan rolled her eyes. "Not sure yet. But we need more data on what weapons they possess, as I said. And unfortunately, due to our circumstances right now, we're stuck without that information."

The rest of us all nodded. Tina shifted as she reached into the pack that Hunter and Martha had brought with when they came looking for us, only to pull out some instant ramen not even a moment later.

"I think what we _really_ need to know is if these things have a scheduled patrol shift," she mused, prying open the container. "I mean...surely they can't patrol indefinitely."

I hummed to myself at that thought. That did seem to make sense. If they did need to change shifts for maintenance or recharging of their power supply... Then that could be our chance to sneak past. "That may be the case, but that means we'd need to observe and watch them for a few days," I mused.

Dan frowned as she glanced at us. "You honestly think ol' cyberface is gonna just sit around on his aft while we wait for a change of shifts?" she asked. "For all we know he-"

"No," Martha replied, cutting her off. "But if you think about it, this could be our only means of sneaking inside. We exactly didn't find a way inside the place from underground, now did we?" She shot a glance at me and I flinched in my thoughts.

That was all that we needed. We agreed to observe for the next few days and see if there was indeed a change of shifts.

But it wasn't even fifteen hours in when we spotted the first changing of the cyborg guard. The patrolling cyborgs stopped their route and began marching in the direction of the main fortress gate, which was by now sliding wide open and more cyborgs were lining up in rows - from where we were we had a decent view of the courtyard - to head out and begin a new patrol cycle.

We watched for a moment before Dan suddenly charged out, and I cried out as I reached for her. "Wait!" I hissed. "Not yet!"

But by then the others were already en route. Grumbling to myself, I scrambled to my feet and followed after, my cloak fluttering around my frame as I ran. My wings were folded flat against my back as I ran, but some small part of me was encouraging me to take flight. I wasn't about to risk getting shot down though, so I squashed that urge and kept on running.

We finally approached the main gate, plastering ourselves to the exterior wall behind some rocks as the second shift of cyborg guards began to march out. The first shift was heading inside, no doubt for maintenance or recharging of their weapons, I noticed. That meant that the guards here were in two shifts, and they changed whenever the guards needed to be reequipped or something more mundane. The interior of the courtyard was otherwise empty.

That gave me an idea. "Guys... follow me!" I whispered.

Hunter whirled around to look at me like I was nuts. "You can't be serious!" he hissed. "We're not going in there right now!"

I didn't even reply back. Instead, I prepared to run as fast as I could. I had to admit, it was foolish now that I think about it years later, but then again, what other choice did I have at the time? It was our one way in, and I was not about to waste it.

I just ran for it.

Everyone else was stunned and rather worried, but they followed my lead regardless. I was so grateful to have such friends and teammates at that moment. By the time we were inside, the guards had been changed and the first patrol group had vanished into the depths of the fortress's corridors.

We were alone in the courtyard.

Hunter came over to me, his eyes hardening. "Way to go, Seph! Now we're stuck here!"

"Not exactly," I pointed out. "Being stuck here would be that we can't get out. We can, but we need to get inside and find out who or what lives here first. Then we can leave."

"And if it's Ionesco, we finish him," Rachel said seriously. Her hands clenched around her hammer's handle as it rested on her back.

Hunter grunted. "Okay. I get it. But you still act recklessly!" he said, directing the statement at me. "And this had better not be one of your more stupid decisions."

I nodded. "Yeah... I hope so, too..." I murmured as he walked off a bit.

My mind though drifted back to Minovsky and Dr. Vist. What had those two known about this...?

* * *

 **Name: Katz**

 **Species: Mobian**

 **Aura: Black**

 **Semblance: Terror Infusion**

 **Description: (Updated) His Semblance allows him to project images of terrifying images directly into his opponents' vision. It is highly effective in getting them to surrender or succumb to his will. However, it can be countered by throwing a flash bang grenade or disrupting his concentration with a loud racket. If his concentration on his opponent is broken, the victim will usually suffer a fever or fever-like symptoms for about a month until they recover.**

 **Weapon: N/A**

 **Note: Katz is a very notorious villain, being a serial killer with very sadistic tendencies. His crimes are listed in the Hunters database and include the following: illegal breeding of flesh-eating spiders, sabotage of a United States naval submarine, and illegal fights pitting innocent civilians against hostile Grimm.**


	11. Arc 0 - Danger Rises 4

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **(** _A scene of chaos is shown at the famous Navy Pier in Chicago as creatures bearing black skin and white bone plates attack the civilians, but then a youth decides to intervene in the fight, only to get injured severely._ **)**

 **Start Period - Fullmetal Alchemist OST**

 **(** _The boy is shown in a hospital, lying on a bed as the camera pans in on the flashing light before it fades to blackness._ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **At last we're here at the half way point** **(** _A pair of violet optics flash online as the screen pans out to show a dark blue colored mecha with a pair of draconic wings on the back as he stands atop a building in a city surrounded by mountains._ **)**

 **In the heart of our endless journey** **(** _The mecha flares his wings and takes flight as he draws out a sword from his shield, charging at an imposing black Grimm with large wings and scars across its body._ **)**

 **At last, while everything still is calm (** _As the two collide a flash of light is shown to reveal a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes looking at the camera, a rapier in her left hand as she holds a Dust canister in her right._ **)**

 **Take a deep breath (** _She swings her sword, only for it to extend into a whip as it swirls with wind around it, curtesy of the wind Dust in the chamber._ **)**

 **We both have just began to grasp it (** _The wind engulfs the screen only to vanish as fire surrounds a sword, the camera panning out to show a redheaded woman with a fiery sword in her grasp._ **)**

 **But it's slipped out of our hands (** _The woman slashes with her sword as the camera follows the shockwave before it hits a wasp-like Grimm, incinerating it before the camera is engulfed in flames._ **)**

 **And we will learn from those fragile mistakes (** _The flames vanish as the camera moves up and out of them, showing a city under siege. **)**_

 **'til nothing stands in our way (** _The city defenses struggle to keep the Grimm Horde at bay, only to be aided by two more figures, one of them leaping into the air and firing a Dust-laced rocket from a rocket launcher at the closest Grimm._ **)**

 **An unbreakable bond will forever link our hearts (** _The two figures land, one of them being a man wearing a trench coat and behind him appears a buxom woman in shadow as beside him stands a woman with a hammer in one hand, her gaze locked onto the sky above them._ **)**

 **There's no spell, no hell, that will undo us (** _The camera pivots to show the two from the side and then from the front, only this time they stand beside the mecha and other two women as they stand in front of a large metallic structure._ **)**

 **We have made it here at last (** _The fortress is shown in all its glory, cybernetic organisms lurking around it and several of them aim at the camera as two sinister green optics appear behind the scene, flaring brightly._ **)**

 **In this never ending dance (** _The light envelops the camera only for it to vanish as the scene shows a woman with blonde hair and a man with a slightly darker shade of blonde hair standing in front of the mountain city, the others landing beside them._ **)**

 **And we'll live through us the period of time (** _The group lunges at the screen, weapons drawn as more Grimm attack._ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Katz_

 _Katz is a notorious and rather sadistic killer whose sociopathic tendencies are hidden underneath a friendly and rather cultured exterior. He seems like a legitimate businessman at times, often trying a wide array of ventures to try and make money on the surface. But what most people don't know is that he's not trying to make money. He's out to kill anyone who comes into his businesses._

 _He has been shut down more than once by official Huntsmen and Huntresses, and sometimes even by the federal government. One time he was even taken down by the United States Special Forces for his illegal activities, the most sadistic being the illegal, and often very brutal, Grimm Fights as they were later known as._

 _These Grimm Fights were staged on an abandoned island where Katz had taken over a long forgotten arena from thousands of years ago. The island, dubbed Grimm Arena on old maps snatched from Katz' hideout, was a perfect place to host these fights, as no one ever went there thinking it to be cursed since it is located on the border of the Sea of Teeth and the Pacific Ocean. The maps provided the necessary coordinates for the United States government to sent a group of Special Forces soldiers to take the island and terminate his illegal fights. They were even able to rescue what civilians remained after the prolonged event. Many of them were traumatized and injured, some had gone insane, and two of them actually wished to remain on the island, not to fight Grimm, but to ensure no one else came there._

 _The government has since put up a quarantine on the island._

 _But Katz' illegal activities are not the only reason he is so dangerous. It is his Semblance that is fearful enough to warrant a bounty put out on his head by the United States government. It is recommended to not engage him alone, or even at all. If someone is to encounter him, they are to contact the government at once and they will send a group of soldiers to take him down._

 _All Hunters of class V rank are the only ones permitted to engage him._

 _Close File_

* * *

"It is a mystery as to why killers often act the way they do to the average person. But sometimes it can't be explained. The mind is a complex thing, and the brain is even more mysterious. So there is much that is not fully understood. Like for instance, where do the feelings of emotions come from? And how can a memory evoke such emotions?" TOM remarked as he closed the Katz file. "And as for killers, do they really have a lack of empathy, or is it just a misconception? Can people be trained to be empathetic towards others? It's a mystery that may never be solved in our current lifetime."

* * *

There was no way that this was going to be easy.

That much I had known when I ran for the open gate.

But to find the place was a virtual maze of corridors and tunnels? Not what I had been expecting at all.

This just made things harder for me since the place was nothing but rooms, rooms, and miles of corridors and tunnels. I grumbled to myself as I pried open yet another door, revealing nothing but recharge racks and ammunition storage for the cyborgs. "Dammit... Does this place have _any_ human accommodations?!" I muttered to myself.

Dan meanwhile was poking into one of the other rooms, finding nothing but the same old recharge racks and ammo storage units. "Well, if we hadn't been in such a hurry to avoid those cyborgs, maybe we'd have avoided getting lost!" she grumbled to Rachel, who was off peeking down another corridor.

"Don't blame her!" I snapped. "We got other issues to worry about! Such as finding out where the hell we are!"

Dan's red eyes flashed as she held up her sword and pointed it at my chest. "Better watch it, metalhead!" she growled.

"Enough!" Tina shouted, catching our attention. "As it stands, Joseph is right! We need to find a way out of here and figure out where we are in relation to the main gate!"

Hunter snorted. "Yeah? And how will we do that?" he asked seriously.

We were all silent at this. In truth, none of us had any idea on _what_ to do. We were lost - again - and this time we seemed to have no way out. Dan growled as she whirled around and punched the wall with enough force to leave a dent. Or in reality, it wouldn't have made a dent, but since it did... that earned the attention of everyone there, including Nick.

Dan blinked as she pulled her hand back from the wall, looking at her fist in confusion. "What just happened?" she asked.

"I dunno..." I muttered, eyeing the dented wall. "Hmm..." I slowly walked over and placed a hand on the wall, running my fingertips along the metal surface. My tactile sensors, being as sensitive as they were, picked out the faintest trace of an indent within the wall. "Hold on a minute..." I activated my sensors, sweeping them over the wall and my optics flashed in realization. But just to be sure...

I knelt down and crouched on the balls of my metal feet, running a finger along the edge of the indent, finding that it ran up and around as if in the shape of a door. A low hum resonated in my chest as I pulled my hand back from the wall and placed a palm on it. "Looks like we got a secret entrance," I remarked.

"Gee, ya think?" Martha asked as she walked over and looked at it. "Hmm... Looks like there's no real way to open it unless there's a hidden switch or something."

I shook my helm. "No go on that," I said. "It seems to me like the only way in is if someone else leaves and keeps it open for the incoming person."

"So in short, we gotta wait for any cyborgs to come and go?" Tina asked.

I shook my head again. "I don't even think we can at this point, given how low our rations are starting to get. The only way now..." I glanced at all of them. "...is to bust our way in ourselves."

"Damn right we are!" Dan sneered as she held up her sword.

"Not like that!" I hissed, startling them. "We'll pry it open. I don't want to make a loud racket that could alert any possible cyborgs that may come down this way."

Dan was shocked, but lowered her sword. Tina looked at me, along with Hunter. I started to think. I knew that out of all of us I was the strongest, given my frame and psychoframe. But then again, I wanted to save my strength for when I needed it the most. So I looked to the two Huntresses, and Hunter. The three of them, aside from me, possessed swords as well, which was good. So that meant we could pry the door open and slip in before it closed.

I gestured to the threesome. "Okay. Hunter, Tina, Dan... since you three have swords, you guys can pry open the door. Just stick your blades in the spot where my hand is-" I slapped my hand against it. "-and push it. The door should slide open." I pulled my hand back.

Tina was hesitant, but she took the initiative and drew her rapier before she tensed and thrust it right for the metal wall. There was a clang, and for a brief moment we all froze, half expecting cyborgs to come scrambling down the hall at hearing it.

We stood there for a full five minutes before we were able to relax, feeling relief that we hadn't been caught.

I turned my gaze back to the wall, noticing that Tina's rapier had embedded itself right inside the indent, creating a small hole for her sword to rest in. I whistled to myself. "Nice..." I muttered softly.

I then turned my optics on Hunter and Dan. "You're next." I gestured to the hidden door, as if showing them the greatest thing in the universe.

Dan grunted but jammed her sword in, followed by Hunter's. The three began to push on their swords, straining to move it. The door began to groan and strain under the efforts of their pushing, but it didn't budge.

However, the racket _did_ attract some unsavory characters. And by that, I meant cyborgs. Cyborg guards, to be exact. The freaks came running around the closest corner, surprising us all. I yelped as a blast of energy from one of their arm mounted blasters barely missed my V-fin. I ducked behind my shield and placed myself between the trio and the cyborgs while Rachel used her Semblance and summoned a wall of pure metal from the floor, also generating a hole to keep the cyborgs back at bay.

I drew my beam magnum and aimed it from behind my shield. "C'mon! Get that damn door open!" I shouted over the gunfire.

Tina, Dan, and Hunter finally managed to pry it open somewhat, enough for us to start to slip inside. I kept firing at the cyborgs, backing into the passage just as more of them came down the opposite direction. I turned and aimed down the other corridor as well, finally letting loose a final charged shot from my gun before I ducked inside, just as the door slid closed behind me.

The door barely finished closing before a cyborg slammed into it, rattling the door heavily. My wings twitched as I eyed the door with a wary gaze. The door rattled again and again, dents appearing in the metal. I dimmed my optics a shade as I backed up, keeping my gun aimed at it.

I waited for a moment, but then the clanging died down, fading into nothing. I stood absolutely still, waiting to see if the cyborgs would come back. But there was nothing of that nature for the next five minutes. I finally lowered my gun, sighing out my vents in relief. "Thank Glob..." I muttered. I finally backed up a bit more before I turned and ran down the corridor, reaching a spot where it curved to the right, and my friends were just around the bend.

"About time, Joseph," Dan remarked sarcastically.

I rolled my violet optics. "Sorry," I retorted.

"We heard the pounding. What happened?" Tina asked.

"Long story short, cyborgs tried to get in," I replied quickly. "Thankfully they couldn't get through."

"Either they couldn't... or they were ordered not to..." Martha mused.

Now _that_ was something I hadn't considered. "You really think that?" I asked.

Martha nodded. "It's a possibility," she remarked. "Why else would they back off like that?"

A thoughtful hum resonated in my chest as I looked down. Now that I thought about it, it _did_ actually make sense. But the only question now was... why order the cyborgs to back off? They had us cornered, trapped in a shooting gallery, so to speak, which made it easier to kill us. But then they suddenly retreated, leaving us in peace. What was happening here?

Now _this_ was intriguing. Even more so than I had imagined. First we get lured into the Darklands and are expected to die, then we meet Dan and learn about a mission that Sebben, Dr. Minovsky and Dr. Vist had given us, and now this? And where did Skarr come in? And was Katz involved in some way? There was just so much we didn't know... and a lot we needed to figure out.

I was beginning to get an idea of what was happening, but I still needed confirmation from several people and sources. And for that, we needed to find out more about where Ionesco was... and what his plans were.

I turned my gaze to the six with me. "I think we should see what we can find in this place," I said. "And not in terms of the cyborgs."

"You mean like information, right?" Hunter asked.

I nodded. "You got it, Hunter," I remarked. "More specifically, information on what Ionesco is planning. And more importantly, if Skarr or Katz had any involvement in this somehow."

Martha and Hunter looked at one another while Rachel's eyes widened in shock. "You gotta be kidding me!" she blurted. "That freak of a Mobian is here?!"

My optics were dead serious as I nodded. "Yeah. He is." I paused for a moment. "Or more specifically, he's underground in an underground parking garage/complex."

Hunter frowned. "Oh, boy... You're just lucky he didn't even attempt to kill you," he said grimly (no pun intended) as he folded his arms. "That guy's even more nuts than a barrel full of loose screws."

I couldn't help it. A chuckle escaped me at his joke. "Yeah, that he does," I joked back. Then I became serious. "So let's keep going and see where this leads us."

The others all nodded and soon we began walking down the corridor, each and every one of us poised for the possibility of a cyborg ambush.

Thankfully we didn't come across any such ambushes. But we did find, however, that the corridor we were in led to another dead end. Or at least that's how it seemed at first glance to an untrained observer. But to us, and to me, there was more to it. A second hidden door was revealed, and this one led into a massive antechamber of sorts. The room we were in was _massive_. It seemed to me that it was more like the heart of the fortress.

All around us were Dust-filled runes, carefully and painfully etched into the walls and ceiling, with a variety of Dust mixing and swirling in a beautiful pattern of swirls below the strong glass flooring we stood on. It was mesmerizing, and at the same time, incredibly ominous. The Dust filling the runes seemed to be coming from this vast repository, as someone were trying to give off an air of some long-lost civilization. My optics roved over the walls and ceiling, taking note of ancient Greek columns carved from the very metal itself, complete with arches and some Gothic style windows. It seemed to me that this room was a combination of ancient Greek and Germanic cultures... mixed with Cybertronian influences, if my memory files served correctly as I studied the runes, taking note of how they closely resembled Cybertronian pictograms.

"What...?" Tina breathed, her eyes wide as she took in the surroundings.

"This place is..." Hunter's voice trailed off as he looked around.

Martha was just silent as her mouth fell open.

"Holy...!" Dan was in awe as she slowly let her hand roam over one of the ancient pictograms.

Nick's hands went to her mouth and she pivoted on the spot, gazing at the sights.

Rachel's whispers were barely audible as her eyes roved across the runes.

However, I wasn't interested in the runes.

Instead what interested me the most was the single chair at the end of the room. Or rather the _throne_ at the end of the room. The throne was completely ornate, with a large back and armrests that resembled lions. But what really got my attention was the single emblem above it. The emblem was that of a gear with what appeared to be a Grimm mask in the center of it, the eyes glowing bright red, no doubt courtesy of fire Dust.

I dimmed my optics a shade and crept closer as my friends continued to gawk at the runes around them.

What the hell was this thing doing in an antechamber? Maybe it was hiding something...?

I had no real time to even ponder because at that moment, a booming voice, almost entirely electronic with faint male undertones to it, seemed to come from everywhere all around us. I yelped and leapt back from the throne as Tina, Martha, Hunter, Nick, Dan, and Rachel scrambled to the middle of the room. All seven of us stood back to back, glancing around for the source of the voice.

" **So... you dare to come into my inner sanctum... How very foolish of you humans...** "

"Who are you?!" I shouted, straining my vocalizer to its limit to be heard over the echoes.

" **You should know... you who wears a metal frame in place of flesh and blood, as befitting your kind...** " the voice sneered.

I winced in my thoughts at the echoes as my friends had to either cover their ears or just somehow ignored it.

But what the voice said next threw us for a loop.

" **But I am most impressed at how you were able to find your way into this place, especially as it has been years since any human dared to wander my domain. Then again, I was expecting it, as you humans always make such foolish mistakes.** " The voice paused, and a shudder raced down my back struts as I got the feeling like we were being watched. The same feeling that had persisted up to this very moment. It was then that I realized we had been watched the entire time. From within the underground complex and parking garage, to the exterior of the fortress.

This was _his_ domain.

" **Such as assuming that no one has been watching you from the very moment you set foot here in this place. Those kinds of mistakes make it easy to anticipate the actions of humans. Especially as since now... I can finish what I started years ago... before that old fool up and left me all because he feared a cyborg revolution!** " the voice shrieked, making us all wince at the electronic screeching. I had to clap my hands over my audio receptors which were starting to ache from the electronic feedback.

I managed to shoot a glare up at the ceiling, the runes pulsing now.

"So that's it..." I muttered. "You're Minovsky's old friend... Ionesco!"

A loud electronic roar came from all around us and I collapsed to my knees, as did my friends and teammates. My wings twitched like crazy as I tried to focus. "D...Dammit!" I swore.

" **That name no longer has any meaning for me!** " the voice screeched. " **I have long since shed all ties to your kind, especially my _name_! I am now the Integrated Operational Neutralizing Enemy Substance Creature Organism Unit! My designation... I.O.N.E.S.C.O.U., is how I choose to be identified!**"

I was shocked. Ionesco had long since shed his humanity?!

"You gave up your own _name_ just because you want to exterminate the Grimm?!" Tina yelled.

" ** _Fool!_** **You have no inkling of what I have become!** " the cyborg voice roared. " **I have become more than mere flesh and blood! I am now the cybernetic organism that I have sought to create! But that old fool... that idealistic, naive idiot Minovsky always said that cyborgs were inclined to revolt as time passed. Such thinking will only lead to rampant discrimination against cyborgs. Cyborgs can and will exterminate the Grimm... and show their worth to your ignorant kind!** "

We were all silent for a moment, trying to comprehend the words.

But then again, there was no way to tell if he was even telling the truth. Ionesco just seemed to be a crazy fool at this rate.

"So you claim..." I drawled.

" **You dare to claim I'm a lying fool?!** " Ionesco screamed at me, forcing me to cover my audio receptors again. " **I wish to show that old fool that cyborgs are worth more than all your kind put together! And I shall prove that we are superior to even _you_ , one who wears a metal frame but is still human deep down inside!**"

I growled to myself. This was not good. Ionesco was driven, I will admit that. But at the same time he had no real rationale for his actions, except to show his former colleague how superior cyborgs were to organic creatures. Even me, and that was saying something given that I was no longer flesh and blood physically. Unless he was referring to the fact I still possessed my humanity somehow...

I slowly removed my hands from my audio receptors and my left hand reached for my beam magnum as it rested against my flight pack. My hand curled around the grip and I pulled it free from its mounting. I wondered if Ionesco had seen my movements, and if he had, if he had any countermeasures to block or counteract the shots from my gun.

"Joseph... what'll we do?" Tina asked nervously.

I shot a look at Dan who had her teeth gritted. Her eyes were darting around for some reason. I wondered if she was panicking, but then I caught the _way_ they were darting around.

She wasn't panicked. She was _looking for something_.

I mentally slapped myself upside the helm. I hadn't even considered doing a scan or anything of that nature until now, and it made me seem very foolish and incompetent. And I didn't want _that_ on my record. So I focused my will on my scanners, radar, and sensors, expanding them out to their maximum range. And oh, boy... I picked up a _ton_ of cameras aimed at us, and several hidden speakers as well, angled to mask the direction the sound of Ionesco's voice was coming from. I growled to myself.

Now that was a smart move.

I shot a glance at Dan. "What now?" I asked lowly, in case the cameras had audio reception capabilities.

Dan frowned a bit. "We have to blind his eyes somehow..." she whispered to me.

I hesitated to even ask, but from the cameras, I could infer that he had no doubt been observing us through the eyes of his cyborg army, as well as others scattered throughout the Darklands around his fortress. But at the same time, I needed to figure out a way for us to get out of this.

My optics flicked left and right as I tried to figure out a plan. From what I knew and picked up on my sensors, the cameras were no doubt embedded within the runes that contained yellow Dust, so as to power them. And that meant we needed to cut the lines leading from the Dust repository below us to the cameras. But the only question was... where were those lines?

I looked around to the left, but nothing was visible. A glance to my right told me the same thing. That left either up... or down.

Martha's foot nudged against my own, and I looked at her over my shoulder. "Got anything?" she hissed.

I nodded quickly. "Yeah... cameras connected to yellow Dust for power," I quickly shot back. "Spread word."

She nodded and within minutes her words began to filter through the little group as Ionesco's electronic laughter filled the room. " **You truly think you can disrupt my eyes and ears? I have spent years building this place, so only I know how things work, and your little efforts will prove futile!** "

"Yeah? Wanna bet?" I growled out, hoping to stall for time until we could figure out where the Dust power lines were.

However, I didn't even notice that Nick's host had slumped over as he phased out of her and into the very ground of the room we were in. Due to how close we were, it seemed like the host was giving up, and that was enough for him to slip out briefly. But anyway, back to the matter at hand. I had to stall for time somehow, and getting the creep to talk was the only way I knew how.

"Face it!" I shouted. "You may have built this place, but no one can know everything about what they build!"

" **So says the one who borrows a frame that was never yours!** " Ionesco growled back.

I actually snorted at the insult. "Geez. You truly _have_ forgotten what it's like to be human. Your insults could really use some work!" I remarked.

That was all it took to get Ionesco mad. Within minutes the walls began to pulsate as a few sections of runes slid open, exposing several squads of cyborgs as they came out, their hand-guns at the ready. Their lifeless red eyes gazed at us and through the closest one, Ionesco spoke. " **Your attempts at mocking me are illogical. Therefore your attempts will be rendered futile. Just like your attempts to stop my plans!** " he shouted.

I laughed a bit. "Then bring it on!" I sneered, flaring my optics brightly.

I crouched and spread my wings as wide as they could go, my thrusters roaring in my audios as I sprang off the ground as the guards opened fire on us. Rachel took the chance to summon thick armor made from the glass below as the others started to scatter and take on lone guards or groups, depending on the weapon they had. I aimed my beam magnum and fired at the closest guards, the charged shot tearing through them in seconds. Their scorched parts fell to the glassy floor below. I whipped my frame around and my beam burst gun swung into position over my right hand, and I pulled the mental trigger. The beams lanced out and split into six, resembling a dragon's breath. The shots impacted a few more cyborg guards, killing two with shots to the head, one was cored through the chest, and the others were taken down with one shot to the limbs each. Those few that were killed collapsed and the ones wounded couldn't function without suffering losses of vital fluids needed to keep them functional.

I barely had any time to pay attention to the fights of the others as I was forced to dodge several dozen salvos from another group of cyborgs that lurked behind one of the many columns in the room. But from what they told me, Dan had about fifteen currently engaged with her in a free-for-all, which wasn't too surprising. What _was_ surprising was the fact that she wasn't using her Semblance, but she later told me that she didn't want to risk hurting anyone else with it, and actually that did make sense. (It also showed how much she had matured.) Regardless, she went to town using her sword, cleaving through them with ease. She even engaged one of them in a sword fight before she was forced to retreat and cut its head off from behind.

Martha and Hunter, much to my surprise, had formed a tag team based around their unique Semblances. Hunter's Semblance was wind manipulation, which allowed him to control the air currents to create either a tornado or a hurricane force gust. He rarely used it separately though because of the potential for collateral damage, something even I condone. Martha's Semblance was control over the moisture content in the air of a given area, primarily the battlefield in which she fought. That, when combined with Hunter's Semblance, allowed them to create thick fog or even pouring rain to blind their adversaries. They even came up with a combination attack that relied on a full force gust of wind laced with driving rain, penetrating Grimm and killing them instantly. Anyway, their teamwork was keeping the cyborgs back at bay, but it wasn't working as well as they had hoped, primarily because the guards were made of metal and flesh. So to offset that they were using their own Dust supply to augment the deadliness of their combo, mostly the lightning Dust, so their cyborg guards were easily dispatched with electrical shocks.

Tina and Rachel had also formed a tag team, with Rachel plowing through the cyborgs using her thick armored fists like battering rams while Tina resorted to more precision strikes against them. The duo were so effective that for a moment I wondered if Tina would go with Rachel if asked. (She assured me later that that was not the case, but at the time I had good reason to be worried.) The two left in their wake both battered and dismembered cyborgs, a testament to their incredible teamwork. Tina's rapier cut through the flesh and metal of the cyborgs while Rachel's thick armored form barreled through them like a tank running down many infantrymen. It was kind of similar to a prior Grimm attack from within the Darklands and Wildlands, I recalled, but then I was forced from my memory files as I swerved to the right to dodge a slew of lasers from the cyborgs they missed.

Nick's host was still slumped on the ground, and I wondered if Nick had been taken out of commission briefly, but then she stirred, and the blue eyes snapped open as her ample bust heaved with a gasping breath. (For some reason that made my frame heat up, but I brushed those thoughts aside quickly.) She got to her feet and grabbed the rocket launcher on her back, pulling it free and aiming it at a spot on the wall. "Got it!" she cried. "Everyone, buy me some cover!"

I shot a glance down at her as she fired the rocket, sending the shaped charge right for the wall. A loud explosion rocked the antechamber, and the wall began to crack and crumble, several runes glowing yellow suddenly going dark. Ionesco's cry of rage was all that I needed to get the idea of her plan. "Nice one, Nick!" I shouted over the roaring screeches.

The others all seemed to grasp the idea as well, and we switched gears to keeping Nick covered as she fired upon the walls a few more times.

By the time we were finished, all cameras and speakers had ceased to function. The walls now had several huge holes in them courtesy of Nick's rockets. Bad news was... she was out of projectiles. At least for the moment.

And this time, things were about to get a lot worse than they already were.

* * *

 _ **Within his inner sanctum, his lone eye is filled with rage. Those organic filth had not only penetrated his secure antechamber, but wiped out his squads of elite guards, and terminated his links to all observation methods as well.**_

 _ **His chest hummed with fury as he whirled around, his metallic fist punching the wall of his secret lair. He couldn't bare his teeth, not since he had his lips permanently welded together in foregoing all need for organic nourishment. His vocoder rumbled as he growled to himself. "So... this is what it's come down to..." he hissed angrily, the electronic tones seeming to resemble that former dialup tone once used widely by many homes across the world.  
**_

 _ **"Well... if it's a fight they want... it's a fight they'll get!"**_

 _ **With that said, he turned his attention to arming himself for the coming fight.**_

* * *

We finally gathered closer to the edge of the antechamber to figure out our next move. I mean, sure we took out Ionesco's eyes and ears, but that didn't mean he didn't have backup sensors or cameras scattered around.

We had to be very careful this time.

Anyway, we sat gathered around a fire that Dan had managed to start using flammable materials from the dead cyborgs and some fire Dust. The very chamber's floor had for some reason gone dark, throwing the whole room into complete blackness. I guessed that maybe somehow Ionesco managed to cut the Dust flow to the runes, and that he was gathering for the final battle.

In truth, it seemed kind of ironic, really. A final battle within some secret fortress within the Darklands. It reminded me of an old video game I used to play as a kid. Unfortunately the name escaped me at the moment. I forced myself to focus more on the present; I could always revisit old memory files later. I looked at my friends as we sat around the fire that evening (according to my internal clock, that is).

"Hard to believe..." I mused.

"What? That we're gonna be facing down a cyborg boss like in one of your old video games?" Hunter drawled.

Dan snorted. "Hardly a surprise, really. In this world, anything can happen."

I looked at her. "Dan, let's not think of it like that," I said. "And in actuality, maybe Minovsky was right on something. I mean... we hardly know anything about this guy, and he hasn't even said a word on this to us."

"Hmm... You think then that the old geezer had something to hide?" Rachel asked.

I shrugged. "Beats me," I replied. "But then again, who knows? Regardless, we still have our objective. Once we get this completed, then we can worry about what's to come next."

The others all nodded and we prepared to get some rest that evening.

But as we chatted, my mind drifted back to the first day. That first day I had been transferred into the Gundam frame I now wore.

Dr. Vist had said that there were others who harbored dark ambitions. Was it possible he had also been hinting at Ionesco's feud with Minovsky?

If so, why hadn't he just said it outright to me? Was he trying to keep it from me because he felt I hadn't been ready for it? There were just too many unanswered questions that niggled at my processor. As I leaned back against one of the columns, I couldn't help but wonder if there was a reason for the secrecy regarding Ionesco. Perhaps there was something about the scientist-turned-cyborg that they didn't want me to know until now?

I just needed more information, but there was too little to go on.

My optics drifted up to the ceiling, and I shivered at the way it seemed to hover over us ominously. Now that I thought about it, the whole place resembled a ruin of sorts in the aftermath of the battle. I shuddered against my will at the imagery, my armor rattling against my frame.

Tina's footsteps caught my attention and I turned to look at her as she came over with her dinner - a meal-ready-to-eat, or MRE for short - held in her hands. "Hey, Joseph," she said. "Mind if I join you?"

I shook my helm and gestured to the ground beside me. "Not at all," I replied.

She nodded and sat down. "You trying to think?" she asked softly.

I nodded. "Yeah. I mean... given what's been happening, I'm kind of surprised we don't have much information other than what little we have or deduced on our own," I remarked. I glanced at my hands resting on my metal kneecaps. "And before all of this... before I even became a Hunter... When I first got transferred into this frame... Dr. Vist said something about others harboring dark ambitions. Now I'm beginning to wonder if he was trying to warn me of this... And if he was..."

I was silent for a moment as Tina paused in her eating. "...why didn't he just say it outright? Why hide it? Is there something that he wasn't willing to tell me? And if so... what was it?"

Tina frowned. "Maybe he just didn't want to worry you," she suggested. "I mean, think about it. He just saved your life and you had a lot to deal with in even just adapting to your new circumstances. That makes me think that he wanted to keep you from worrying about something else until you had fully adjusted."

I had considered that, but never really given it much thought after brief consideration. Now that I thought about it, it did make sense. But that was a long time ago now. I was fully adjusted, and I was actually becoming more and more skilled at mastering my frame's functions. So... I was wondering now if he would even tell me everything.

I hoped he would once we got out of this place alive.

Truthfully, that would be considered wishful thinking, but then again, I was more open to the possibility of both Vist and Minovsky not telling me the whole deal. I cast my gaze up at the ceiling, and I finally leaned back, lacing my hands behind my helm and dimming my optics a shade. "I wonder what's happening outside the Darklands right now..." I murmured.

Tina shrugged, some noodles hanging out of her mouth. "Beats me," she remarked. "No signals can get in or out due to the presence of the Dark Substance and who knows what else."

A snort came from Dan. "Try more like the intense electrical energy here," she muttered as she joined us. "This place still may have power. So who knows?"

I nodded, realizing she had a point. Even though we had taken out the Dust power supply for this particular room, we still didn't know if the fortress had its own reactor or what. After all, Ionesco and Minovsky had worked on developing the fusion reactor together before the issue of the robotics expert's plans came up.

"So, what'll we do in the morning?" Tina asked.

"Try and find this Ionesco and finish him," Dan said seriously as she folded her arms. "And then get out of here once and for all."

"As well as get answers from Jaxon," I remarked, tilting my helm to look at Dan. "Like why did he send us in here without any orders, aside from looking for more powerful Grimm?"

Dan actually had to restrain from laughing. "That's why he sent you in? Kind of a lame excuse for a cover story!" she chuckled. "It's the lamest excuse I've ever heard."

"Then why did he _really_ send us in?" I inquired.

"Isn't it obvious? He wanted you to go to Ionesco. This way you could be taken care of, and he'd get something in return: a Gundam and a female human to use as cyborgs," Dan stated almost causally. She then rolled her eyes at me. "I'm surprised that you didn't figure it out on your own, metalhead."

"I'm not as cold as you'd think," I retorted. "Even I make mistakes."

The redhead just waved it off. "Yeah, sure."

I sighed and diverted my attention back to the others, watching them as they checked their arsenal and Dust supplies. Rachel's hammer was resting against a nearby column and Nick's rocket launcher was placed next to it, clearly out of ammunition. Martha had placed her own weapon - a twelve gauge shotgun - against the wall as well, but within easy reach, lest we be jumped by cyborgs in the middle of the night. Hunter on the other hand was leaning against the wall, his eyes closed and his head bowed. I wondered what he was thinking about right now.

I was tempted to get up and talk to him, but then I decided against it. We each had our own things to worry about.

Such as how to deal with Ionesco if he came for us.

That was the big issue. Would he come for us, or would he leave us alone? There was just so much we didn't know, let alone expect from this man... or cyborg, really. I mean, sure we knew _some_ things, but not enough to accurately predict what he was going to do next. Or anything of that nature.

I dimmed my optics as I sighed through my vents.

This was not going to be an easy fight, that was for sure.

Martha's voice drifted over to us. "Hey! You guys gonna come sit with us?"

I looked over and got to my feet. "Yeah. Sorry. I just needed some mild alone time."

Tina also got to her feet, and the two of us made our way back over to the fire and the rest of the group.

As we sat down, Hunter opened his eyes. "So, you trying to figure out a plan?"

I nodded. "Yeah. But given what little we know... this is going to be a tough fight... if there is one," I mused.

"Something tells me there will be a fight," he stated grimly (again, no pun intended). "There almost always is with this guy."

That was all that made me shudder. "Right..."

After a few hours, we finally fell asleep and into recharge for me. But before I fell into recharge, my last thought was of the coming fight. Would we win... or would we lose?

I hoped it wasn't the latter.

* * *

The next day we were awoken by a loud explosion. My optics flashed online and I jerked awake from recharge. I jolted upright, my cloak falling around my shoulders and my wings flaring a bit.

Dan was already on her feet, her sword held in her hand, already wreathed in fire from the Dust in the chamber.

Tina's rapier whip crackled with electricity as she stood facing the direction the explosion had come from.

Hunter's eyes were narrowed as he hefted his broadsword, studying the thick smoke that covered the source of the blast.

Nick held her rocket launcher as a club, something I found rather ridiculous, as something started to come out of the smoke.

Martha cocked her shotgun, aiming it at the smoke. "Something's coming!" she hissed.

Rachel hefted her hammer and spun the Dust chamber to land on earth Dust. "Get ready...!" she whispered.

I scrambled to my feet and grabbed my beam magnum, holding it at the ready as my wings twitched, readying myself to release my fin funnels should the need arise.

And now that we were silent, I could hear them. The sound of metallic footsteps marching our way. I tensed my frame, and I swore my reactor was slightly overheating as it was racing loudly in my chest. I faintly felt my chest armor vibrating with its humming and I shuddered from the sensation.

The footsteps began to get louder as the source drew closer. I dimmed my optics a shade as I switched over to infrared sensors, and I swore that had I been human, I'd have shit myself in my pants. I gulped audibly as the newcomer finally emerged from the smoke.

Right in front of us stood a cyborg.

And not just any cyborg.

This one stood at seven foot three, and possessed a powerful build, much more so than mine. The shoulders were much broader, the arms were a lot thicker, and the legs were like trees with feet. The chest was built like a trash compactor, and the head was mostly flesh, save for the left eye. The face was emotionless, but the way the eye and optic glared at us indicated that this thing was really pissed off. I could see that this thing was heavily armed, wielding a Gatling gun on the right arm while the left arm possessed a heavy machine gun mounted to the top of the forearm. A pair of missile launchers was positioned on the back, and they looked like they could swing into position over the shoulders, a nifty feature I swore I needed at times. The legs were adorned with powerful thrusters and a sinister glowing red orb pulsated in the center of the chest. Speakers on the cyborg's chassis stuttered and screeched as they came online.

" **Your journey ends here,** " the cyborg growled. " **And this time... you will not escape alive like you have in the past. All of you will serve as a message to my 'colleague' that the Age of Cyborgs is upon us. Not even the Fallen known as Sammael will live past this Age.** "

As he aimed his guns, I barked out an order. "SCATTER!"

We all split in seven different directions as the guns barked and sent Dust shells right for us. I hissed through my vents as I aimed my beam magnum and held down the trigger.

I wasn't sure if we were gonna win, but I sure as hell knew we had to try!

We had to.

* * *

 **Name: Danielle 'Dan' Willis**

 **Aura: Red**

 **Semblance: Explosion**

 **Description: A powerful Semblance connected to her temper. The angrier she gets, the more powerful the explosion when she unleashes it. The downside is that no matter how calm she appears to be, she can lose her temper more often than not, resulting in even a minor explosion**

 **Weapon: Fury**

 **Description: A sword that contains a Dust chamber, primarily filled with fire Dust**

* * *

 **Name: Nick Mallory**

 **Aura: Light Grey**

 **Semblance: Phantasm**

 **Description: A Semblance that allows him to phase through objects and possess people. It is useful for infiltration, however it does not allow for attacking**

 **Weapon: Rocket Launcher that can fire Dust-filled rockets**

* * *

 **Name: Rachel Coupe**

 **Aura: Dark Green**

 **Semblance: Rock Control**

 **Description: Can be used to manipulate the earth on which she stands. Can generate thick armor, defensive walls, or even projectiles or pits. The downside is that whenever she uses it for defensive purposes, she needs to remain standing in one place, and the armor she creates is usually thick, so it slows down her speed and reaction time greatly**

 **Weapon: Vulcan Hammer**

 **Description: A hammer that is capable of generating kinetic shockwaves due to the earth Dust located in its heads**

* * *

 **Name: Martha Preston**

 **Aura: Light blue**

 **Semblance: Moisture Den**

 **Description: Her Semblance allows her to control the moisture content of the air around her. The only downside is that it cannot be used beyond the battlefield she is on, and the range is limited to fifty meters in all directions. Often uses this in conjunction with Hunter's Hurricane to create rainstorms that they often augment with lightning Dust for fatal blows on the enemy**

 **Weapon: Twelve gauge shotgun that fires Dust shells**

* * *

 **Name: Hunter Jenkins**

 **Aura: Light purple**

 **Semblance: Hurricane**

 **Description: Allows him to control the air currents around him. He can create tornadoes or wind gusts that can drive hay to become killing tools. Often uses this in conjunction with Martha's Moisture Den to create rainstorms that they often augment with lightning Dust for fatal blows on the enemy**

 **Weapon: Broadsword that can unleash Dust projectiles from its hilt**


	12. Arc 0 - Danger Rises 5

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **(** _A scene of chaos is shown at the famous Navy Pier in Chicago as creatures bearing black skin and white bone plates attack the civilians, but then a youth decides to intervene in the fight, only to get injured severely._ **)**

 **Start Period - Fullmetal Alchemist OST**

 **(** _The boy is shown in a hospital, lying on a bed as the camera pans in on the flashing light before it fades to blackness._ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **At last we're here at the half way point** **(** _A pair of violet optics flash online as the screen pans out to show a dark blue colored mecha with a pair of draconic wings on the back as he stands atop a building in a city surrounded by mountains._ **)**

 **In the heart of our endless journey** **(** _The mecha flares his wings and takes flight as he draws out a sword from his shield, charging at an imposing black Grimm with large wings and scars across its body._ **)**

 **At last, while everything still is calm (** _As the two collide a flash of light is shown to reveal a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes looking at the camera, a rapier in her left hand as she holds a Dust canister in her right._ **)**

 **Take a deep breath (** _She swings her sword, only for it to extend into a whip as it swirls with wind around it, curtesy of the wind Dust in the chamber._ **)**

 **We both have just began to grasp it (** _The wind engulfs the screen only to vanish as fire surrounds a sword, the camera panning out to show a redheaded woman with a fiery sword in her grasp._ **)**

 **But it's slipped out of our hands (** _The woman slashes with her sword as the camera follows the shockwave before it hits a wasp-like Grimm, incinerating it before the camera is engulfed in flames._ **)**

 **And we will learn from those fragile mistakes (** _The flames vanish as the camera moves up and out of them, showing a city under siege. **)**_

 **'til nothing stands in our way (** _The city defenses struggle to keep the Grimm Horde at bay, only to be aided by two more figures, one of them leaping into the air and firing a Dust-laced rocket from a rocket launcher at the closest Grimm._ **)**

 **An unbreakable bond will forever link our hearts (** _The two figures land, one of them being a man wearing a trench coat and behind him appears a buxom woman in shadow as beside him stands a woman with a hammer in one hand, her gaze locked onto the sky above them._ **)**

 **There's no spell, no hell, that will undo us (** _The camera pivots to show the two from the side and then from the front, only this time they stand beside the mecha and other two women as they stand in front of a large metallic structure._ **)**

 **We have made it here at last (** _The fortress is shown in all its glory, cybernetic organisms lurking around it and several of them aim at the camera as two sinister green optics appear behind the scene, flaring brightly._ **)**

 **In this never ending dance (** _The light envelops the camera only for it to vanish as the scene shows a woman with blonde hair and a man with a slightly darker shade of blonde hair standing in front of the mountain city, the others landing beside them._ **)**

 **And we'll live through us the period of time (** _The group lunges at the screen, weapons drawn as more Grimm attack._ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Grimm Arena  
_

 _The Grimm Arena is an abandoned island located on the borders of the Sea of Teeth and the Pacific Ocean once used by Katz for his insidious Grimm Fights._

 _The island is said to be cursed by an ancient civilization that once lived there, with many ships having vanished around that area over the years that it existed. Some claim that ghost ships and seagoing Grimm are drawn to the area due to the high amount of supernatural energies that swirl around the island's tallest peak. Legend tells of a man who once ruled the island, but his brother launched a coup and killed him by feeding him to the Grimm, but not before committing incest with him. The dead brother swore revenge and claimed that all who lived on the island or came to it would forever be cursed to never leave. This ghost story has been passed down through the ages, and some claim it's the reason why so many Grimm have congregated to this one spot on the ocean._

 _But others claim that's a load of bunk, citing the suffering that took place there as the reasoning behind the Grimm's appearances in the local waters._

 _The island's most notable landmark is an overgrown arena, once used by Katz to house his Grimm Fights in. Thanks to causing many years of suffering for countless people, the Grimm have overrun the island and turned it into their natural habitat. So it is recommended that all stay away from it, as it is currently under quarantine by the United States government, citing the large number of Grimm as a safety hazard to tourists, both foreign and local alike._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Legends can come in many forms, and sometimes they can have a grain of truth to them. But sometimes they'll often fade into obscurity and become myths or fairy tales from which we can draw valuable lessons, even in our old age. Sometimes those lessons may fade, but oftentimes they can persist, and new stories may spring up to pass on those legends to the future generations," TOM stated as he closed the 'Grimm Arena' file. "Such legends can also come from epic tales of heroes and gods, or sometimes just from ordinary people. So when you live your life, how do you see your life playing out? Can you create a legend for yourself? Or will you just live as one of the unrecognized heroes some legends contain? Your choices often determine your future."

* * *

The large cyborg roared as he fired at us, forcing us to scatter in seven different directions.

I flexed my wings out from under my cloak and darted skyward as I kicked on my thruster pack, jetting into the air as a barrage of gunfire streaked beneath my feet. I hissed through my vents as I aimed my beam magnum and held down the trigger.

I wasn't sure if we were gonna win, but I sure as hell knew we had to try!

We had to.

I released the trigger and the gun roared, sending my charged shot right for his back. The beam struck his heavy chassis and he paused, turning to look at me with a weird look in his eye and optic. My own optics flashed in shock at the lack of damage to his armor plating.

" **That didn't even tickle,** " he sneered, chuckling lowly.

"Oh, shit...!" I swore. He aimed his Gatling gun in my direction and the six barrels began to spool up. I was shocked and I acted on instinct, whipping my shield up in front of my chest and face to protect my head and reactor. The barrels whirred like a buzzsaw, sending shells right for me. My shield's I-field kicked in and the barrier stopped the explosive shells, but not as well as I would've hoped. I was forced back by the barrage; trying to keep myself in place was a task that was far from easy, as my thrusters were being pushed to the limit. I felt my thrusters straining against the barrage, and I realized I was in a tight spot.

I wanted to desperately attack, but I was stuck on the defensive until-

A battle cry resonated as a familiar figure clad in a reddish brown suit of armor leapt up and swiped at the Gatling gun. Dan's sword was wreathed in fire as she slashed downwards, unleashing a fiery shockwave right for the gun. The cyborg sneered as he swung his massive metal arm to meet the attack, bashing it and scattering the flames to the wind. Dan's eyes widened as the cyborg drew back his right fist and _punched_ with all the force of a freight train.

I barely reacted in time, charging in and shield bashing the cyborg in the face with all of my strength and then some, throwing his balance off and sending him careening down to the ground below. He screamed as he toppled down, slamming into the ground and releasing a loud clanging of metal on glass. I hovered there, holding a dented shield as Dan landed on her feet, looking at me in awe and mild shock. "Wow... That was close..." she muttered.

"Tell me about it," I remarked as I examined my shield. It wasn't too bad, so it could easily be fixed at a metal workshop.

The cyborg groaned and his massive hands flew to the ground as he rolled, using the mighty hydraulics of his chassis to push himself to his hands and knees before getting onto one knee, and then slowly rising to his feet. He whirled around, his optic flaring in anger. His fleshy cheek was gashed and oozing something black as well as the faint red of blood, the only traces of his human origins left. " **You...little...bi-** " His swear was cut short as he roared, charging at me and Dan. We scattered and Tina leapt into the fray, her rapier whip swirling as she landed and snapped it, sending electricity right for him.

The arc of lightning struck his chassis, but it didn't do much damage. In fact, it hardly did anything.

I was shocked.

"How can this guy not be taking any damage?!" I breathed.

The cyborg's optic flashed with a sneer in the eye as he reached out with one massive mechanical hand and made to grab Tina. Her Aura flared bright luminescent green and she reacted by rolling to the side, her Semblance enhancing her speed. I was more than relieved to see her using her Semblance for some reason, but I brushed it aside and aimed my magnum again, this time aiming for one of his joints. I held down the trigger and flew to the left, keeping his right shoulder joint in my sights.

I released the trigger once I felt the gun start to vibrate from the charged shot. The beam streaked right for the shoulder joint, only to _bounce off_ some kind of barrier, much to my utter surprise and disbelief. I swore my reactor ceased to function briefly at that point I was so surprised.

The cyborg sneered as he held out his left arm and the machine gun began to chatter, sending Dust-laced shells right for us all. Dan whirled around as she kicked on her rocket boots and darted skyward, Tina using her Semblance to try and avoid as much of the salvo as she could. Nick ducked behind Rachel as the armor she wore took the bullets, cracking under the onslaught. Hunter and Martha crouched behind a pile of rubble that had been dislodged when the huge cyborg burst through the wall, staying as low as they could, but in hindsight it wasn't such a good idea because of the height this thing stood at.

"Martha! Hunter! Get to higher ground!" I shouted as I fired my magnum again and again, hoping to get a lucky hit on _something_.

The two looked at one another before they turned and bolted for safety atop the rubble heap.

The cyborg whirled around to fire at them, but then Dan was on the move, using her Fury to gash him across his chassis. The blade screeched against the thick metal armor, but it didn't do as much damage as I had hoped. Even _with_ the fire Dust covering the blade!

This made me wonder if this thing had earth Dust infused into the armor. Because if that was the case, then there was no real way to penetrate it.

Or was there?

My processor was now racing a million miles a minute as I tried to come up with a plan. But nothing that came to my mind seemed to have any chances of success.

"Dammit...!" I muttered. "How are we supposed to beat this guy?!"

The cyborg seemed to hear my words and turned to face me, raising up a massive hand and made to grab me, but I darted backwards before my foot could be grabbed. I hovered well above his grabbing range, but his feet thrusters started to hum and I gulped as I realized what he intended to do. I turned and flew as fast as I could away, taking refuge behind the columns. If there was one thing that was working in my favor, it was the fact that my frame was much slimmer than this guy's bulky chassis. His thick arms couldn't reach behind the pillars to grab me, so I was safe. At least for the moment.

" **You are a fool for thinking you can escape me, I.O.N.E.S.C.O.U.!** " he shouted, his huge hands slamming against the column. I realized at that point that he wasn't intending on reaching _behind_ the pillar. He was intending on removing it so he could get to me!

I tensed my frame and made my move not even a second later, my right foot lashing out in a devastating roundhouse that was augmented by my leg thruster and rear skirt armor thruster as well. The impact, boosted by my thrusters, was enough to send him flying a distance away from me, giving me some much needed breathing room. My psychoframe by this point had activated, boosting my strength, speed, and agility beyond the norm for my kind. I retreated from his grasp, and my gun was aimed at his legs not even five seconds later.

Ionesco growled lowly through his external speakers and I hissed through my vents as he drew back a huge fist, intent on punching my lights out. Or knocking my head clean off my shoulders.

His hand came at me moments later and I swerved, relying on my frame's greater agility and slimmer build to give myself an edge in fighting. I dealt a powerful haymaker to his chin, causing him to recoil as I fired my magnum a few times at the rockets attached to his legs, trying to take out his flight capabilities. But as I feared, the barrier he had erected around himself kept the shots from hitting. Or so it seemed at the time. I had no idea that his barrier was actually unable to properly block the shots, but to me it seemed as if they were deflected. It was baffling at the time, but I forced myself to focus on other things, such as how to avoid his hands.

I wasn't sure why that was so important, but I figured he had to have a reason he was trying to grab me. I just needed to figure out what it was, and soon, before he caught me and tore me limb from limb. I wasn't sure if I could though. Ionesco wasn't about to give me a break of any kind. I was forced to dodge his next attempt to slug me, and then Rachel was in motion, her hammer humming with power as she drew it back, the thick armor she donned falling to bits as she moved. Her voice echoed in a battle cry as Ionesco responded in kind. He drew back a fist and both hammer and metallic fist collided with a resounding impact of metal on metal. A shockwave was generated from the collision and the rest of us were forced to dodge it as it streaked overhead.

I was thankfully airborne, so I had an advantage in dodging the shockwave. I flew over it and hovered down, my optics flashing in shock at the shoving match beneath me. Rachel's hammer wasn't making much headway as she tried to push it down, but Ionesco's fist _was_ making headway. His optic flashed red as his eye flickered in a sneer.

" **You ignorant organic insect! Your little hammer can't even breach my armor!** " he cackled as he thrust his arm forward, actually shoving Rachel away from him and making her lose her hammer. She screamed as she flew back, only to collide with Hunter and Martha as they tried to get to higher ground.

"GUYS!" I called, worry flooding my frame and making my reactor whir loudly in my chest.

" **Ah, ah, ah! Forgot about me, Gundam?!** " Ionesco sneered, catching my attention. The next thing I knew, his thick metal hands curled around me and I gasped in shock from the sheer force he was exerting on my frame. I could feel his hands pressing into my armor, my hydraulics and joints straining from the force of his fingers crushing me. My vents were starting to constrict and I found it hard to even get air into my intakes.

A heavy metallic thud resounded in my audios above the ringing that was starting to permeate my hearing, a searing pain suddenly filling my entire backside, including my helm; he had slammed me into the ground. My vision was filled with both static and barcode before it faded, revealing Ionesco's emotionless cyborg face glaring down at me. I felt fear racing through my frame as his hands began to squeeze harder, and I felt - no, heard - something groaning ominously within me.

" **You... will be my first... message to Minovsky...** " he purred, his eye and optic gazing into my own violet optics.

My optics were filled with terror as I gazed into his eye and optic, each filled with nothing but contempt and pure hatred for us, and all we represented. I began to wonder if this guy was even really human anymore.

My wings twitched in his hands, and he chuckled. " **Nothing you do will spare you, Gundam!** " he cackled. " **This is your end...** " His left hand suddenly shifted towards my legs and he began to tug, pulling me in two separate directions. A howl of agony broke free from my chest, clawing its way out of my vocalizer as he tugged. I had never felt such pain before in my life, and that was not counting the injury I received from the Grimm all those years ago back when I was still human. I could hear my very frame groaning and straining in protest to the harsh tugs. It felt like every fiber of my being was on fire. For all I knew, hell, maybe I _was_ on fire, and I just didn't know it.

I had no idea as to whether or not I would live, I was bound to be ripped in two.

My mind raced as my life began to flash before my optics, but strangely it seemed more like it was actually happening in comparison to just mere flashes of images and sounds.

Then all I knew was darkness. A rush of sound and air, and then I was just... nowhere.

I felt my frame flop to the ground, the pain fading away abruptly. I slowly, experimentally, nudged my frame around, my arms and legs still moving. I ran my hands down my torso, half expecting to feel torn and twisted metal, but much to my relief and surprise, there was nothing of that nature. None of the armor was torn or twisted in two, and nor were there any holes that arose from such torment on my armor.

I could vaguely hear something occurring just outside the range of my audio receptors, and I slowly brought them back up to full volume. I also brought my optics online, which had gone dark for some reason. I guessed it must've been on instinct.

As soon as the familiar HUD had retreated and my audios were back up to full sensitivity, I could see - and hear - the battle raging around me.

Tina and Martha had managed to double-team Ionesco, inflicting a serious wound to his left arm when Hunter launched the duo at him using his Semblance. Much to my shock and awe, the barrier around Ionesco's chassis was flickering and sputtering, which made me confused. How had they managed to do such a thing? I slowly sat up, feeling a dull aching in my psychoframe.

"Dammit..." I muttered, coughing on reflex.

I staggered to my feet, clutching at my lower torso with one hand, and glanced up.

Now I could see how the trio managed to damage Ionesco's barrier field.

Tina's rapier was lodged firmly within his shoulder joint, electricity crackling around the blade courtesy of the lightning Dust in the Dust chamber. Martha had also generated a thick fog, allowing Hunter to hurl the rapier into his left shoulder joint. I was actually impressed they had even done such a thing. And I was supposed to have the greater intelligence! (But hey, I'm not complaining! In fact, it's kind of a relief to have some others around to offer new ideas that I can't come up with on my own.) Regardless, I was impressed by their move.

Rachel rushed out from behind the rubble she had landed behind, her hammer back in her hand as she swung it, the impact denting his left arm on the wound and earning a yowl of pain from him. I watched as Dan lunged forward with her rocket boots going, her sword seething with fiery justice. She stabbed the blade into Ionesco's left hip joint and he grunted as he went down to one knee. She pulled her sword out as Nick phased out of her host, becoming solid once more and lunging for Ionesco. My optics flashed as I realized what he was intending on doing. He was going to possess Ionesco, and no doubt make him inflict more damage to his own chassis.

But the cyborg wasn't about to let him. He held up his right arm and the Gatling gun spooled up to maximum speed. The barrels buzzed like a saw as the bullets struck the ground near Nick and forcing him to stop, throwing his hands up in front of his face as his host was hit repeatedly. He looked back over his shoulder and grunted. "Dammit!" he hissed. "There goes my host!"

Much as I hated to admit how he callously treated the women he possessed as mere vessels, I couldn't help but feel glad that the ones he possessed were usually coma patients or nobodies. Anyway, he turned back to the fight and clenched his fists. "Okay, buster! No more holding back!"

I wondered how he could do much damage if he didn't have any rockets left for his launcher. But then my optics flashed in surprise as he reached into his coat and pulled out one last rocket, running back to the launcher and grabbing it. I wasn't too surprised, really, as I remembered he used to carry around an extra rocket for last resort use, but to see him using it _now_ was something unexpected. He normally saved that thing for larger Grimm as it contained a large quantity of explosive Dust.

"Guys...!" I rasped. I realized that even though they were managing to hold their own, it wouldn't be long before Ionesco took back the upper hand. As it stood, Tina's rapier was the _only_ thing preventing him from regenerating that damned barrier of his, but who knew when he would remove it?!

"Guys...!" I coughed before I finally regained my balance and stood up straight.

" _Guys!_ " I shouted.

Nick shot a glance over in my direction. "Hey, Joseph! About time you got back to your feet!" he called.

I nodded. "Yeah. Thank Tina, Martha, and Hunter for saving my aft!" I remarked.

"A thank you could be nice once in a while!" Martha shot back.

I looked back at her and flashed one of my optics in a wink. She returned it with a smile and thumbs up before she leapt back as Ionesco's right fist came her way. She landed atop a rubble heap and aimed her shotgun. The two barrels barked, sending two shells laced with ice Dust right for his face. He moved his damaged left arm in front of his face and the metal limb froze solid from his wrist down. He grunted, but didn't surrender to the warnings no doubt flashing across his vision. His chassis was clearly built to take a pounding, much like my frame was. But the only downside to his chassis was that it was made from standard metal, not the same kind of metal in that meteorite that Dr. Vist used.

"Man! This guy just won't stay down!" she muttered.

"Duh! I know that!" Tina retorted.

I managed to raise my beam magnum, which I still somehow had a firm grip on, and aimed it at his crotch. "Maybe this'll slow him down..." I muttered. My vision wavered a bit, but I shook my helm to dispel the dizziness. Once my vision had stabilized, I pulled the trigger and the gun roared, sending a laser shot right for his crotch plating. The shot struck, and then he let out an agonized roar. He collapsed to his knees, his frozen left hand going for his crotch plating. My optics flashed in surprise. "He still has his nuts?!" I whispered in disbelief.

"Whatever!" Dan shouted as she landed beside me after shutting down her rocket boots. "We gotta find some way to take this creep down!"

I nodded. "I know," I said softly, feeling the dull ache of pain in my frame and lower torso. My hand clenched on it and I hissed a bit through my vents as a twinge of pain lanced down my sides. "So... got any ideas?"

"Was hoping you'd have something," Dan told me.

I shrugged helplessly. "All I can think of is launching a combined attack on him, using whatever we have left."

Dan perked up at this. "An all out assault? That's not like you."

"Sometimes simplicity works best," I remarked, looking back at her. "Besides, I wanna get outta this place ASAP."

And it was true, too. I _was_ getting tired of being lost in the Darklands for weeks on end. It was starting to grate at my psyche, and I wanted to just be out of here as soon as we could be on our way.

Ionesco growled at us as we all regrouped in front of him. " **You... Very clever... using that rapier...** " he mused. " **But not good enough... for I am far stronger than you know! There is a reason why I chose this chassis for my combat form!** "

My optics flashed in surprise as he got to his feet, despite the damage we managed to inflict upon him. "No...!" Hunter rasped.

" **This chassis... was my very first one,** " he told us, his lone eye flickering briefly with nostalgia. " **Had it not been for Minovsky up and abandoning me... then perhaps things could've been different. But no... That old fool... he wanted to preserve the human race's morality and decency... all because he felt that physical limits were the true limiters.** " His voice trailed off for a moment before he resumed speaking. " **And yet... that is not the case. It is their _mental_ limits that holds the human race back.**" Here he turned his gaze on all of us, and for the first time, I got a sense that he was no longer human... at all. It sent a shudder down my back struts and I gulped audibly.

" **Humans are bound by such things as decency and morality. But in order to properly combat the monsters that come from the Pools of Darkness... sometimes one must become a monster themselves. And that means shedding aside petty human emotions such as morals and decency. The Age of Cyborgs is upon us all, and this time... no one... not even his little robot creation... can stop me!** " Ionesco shouted. " **The human race must transcend all physical and mental limits to become superior to the Grimm... even to the Fallen! Then nothing will stand in our way! We shall reclaim the world from our enemies, and then a new era will begin for humanity!** "

"Yeah!? Well, what if they don't want it?!" I shouted back to him. "What of those you have turned into cyborg shells against their wills?!"

" **Ah, yes. A small price to pay for the slaying of the Grimm and their Fallen generals,** " Ionesco hummed as he looked at one of his massive hands. " **But a necessary evil to ensure that peace is achieved once this war is over. The Collective... of humanity shall become stronger than even the Grimm, and become a force to be reckoned with.** " He turned his gaze on me and sneered.

" **It was too easy to manipulate you into coming here. Jaxon, the fool, was more than willing to lure you in here, and Skarr... Oh, he was just an added bonus. He was the first one to get your attention, yes? Well... he's still at large, which is a shame because I could've used him. That serial killer on the other hand... he escaped before my shells could catch him. And yet they still served their purpose in luring you here, yes?** "

Things finally clicked together.

Now I was mad.

And not just merely mad.

I was _livid_... no. Livid is too tame a word to describe how I felt that day.

I felt _feral_. Feral, like some kind of ancient beast. It was a strange sensation, really. It felt like my reactor was on overdrive, and my psychoframe lit up with a brilliant white glow, my optics flashing bright violet before they changed over to a cool green, Tina told me later. I lowered myself into a crouching stance, my wings flaring and arching themselves as I growled deeply within the back of my vocalizer.

This time... I was furious beyond belief.

And he was about to learn why.

I lunged for him faster than I could imagine. My magnum was firing repeatedly as fast as my finger could pull the trigger. Once the clip was spent I slammed home a new one - my last one - and fired again and again, the blasts raining down on his already damaged armor plating. He didn't go down though, as he swung the missile launchers into position. He fired the first salvo right for me, but I darted into the air and twirled around them with ease while in the background my friends and teammates let loose again and again with their attacks or Semblances. Nick no doubt was hiding until the right time to fire his last rocket.

Ionesco's left optic flashed bright red as he aimed his right arm at me and the Gatling gun fired again. But this time I was faster, weaving left and right as he moved the gun along my flight path, trying to hit me. I couldn't help but waggle my hands on either side of my helm to taunt him.

And it seemed to work, too. Had this been an anime, he'd probably have had an anger throb on the side of his head... or two. Who knows?

Anyway, I returned fire with my beam magnum until the clip ran out. I ejected it and reattached my magnum to my flight pack before I swung my beam burst gun into position on my right arm and fired it. The six shots split off in different directions before striking him and causing him some more damage, and pain, I hoped. One of the beams did strike his lower chassis, right below the glowing red orb that pulsated. He seemed to gasp and double over, clutching at the spot. Had I been able to, I would've cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

Instead, I inclined my head to the side a bit. That orb... something about it niggled at my processor.

Ionesco's optic flared as he stood up straight, his right hand flying out in a punch right for me. But I dodged it in the nick of time. He whirled around as fast as his heavy chassis would allow, but it wasn't enough to keep pace with my slimmer and smaller frame. I came to a hover and turned around. I wasn't sure why I was even doing this to begin with, but it was only confirming that he was still human in some ways, and plus it was funny. I wiggled my wings a few times before I slapped my rear plating, earning a very loud roar in response. That earned a laugh from Rachel, and Nick couldn't help but crack a grin at my antics.

The cyborg only returned fire with his Gatling gun. But Dan was already in motion and she slashed with her sword, delivering a blow to Ionesco's chest plating, right where I had hit him with my beam burst gun. His speakers shrieked with static and I had to mute my audio receptors while Tina and the others covered their ears with their hands. I was caught off guard as Ionesco then proceeded to fire off his missiles again, this time sending the projectiles off in a few directions towards my friends! And just as they were shielding their ears from the screeching as well!

"NO!" I shouted.

Flaring my wings, I charged at the closest missile, hoping to get a hit in with my fin funnels as I launched them quickly and fired, the pinkish lasers lancing out and coring it. The missile exploded and that caught Nick's attention. He reacted by phasing his body into intangibility, the missile speeding through him and exploding against one of the walls. Tina and the others looked up and reacted, but it didn't seem like they'd react in time. My reactor was now whirring loudly in my audios as I fired off my fin funnels in all directions, trying to hit the rest of the missiles before they struck my friends.

Two of them exploded, but the rest I missed.

I began to fear the worst as they struck the ground and area around my friends, causing massive explosions that sent me tumbling through the air. I cried out from the impact of the shockwaves, only to slam into one of the walls and leave a nice indent in it. I hung there limply before I finally collapsed, peeling off the wall like an old piece of wallpaper. I landed on the ground, my entire frame aching from the impact.

Ionesco's electronic laughter resounded in my audios as I managed to get one of my arms under my chest and pushed myself up, my optics flashing in horror as I stared at the spot where Tina, Dan, and the others had been. "N...No..." I gasped, feeling a sense of acute fear filling my chest and frame. Fear that they hadn't survived... fear that they were dead.

All I could see was that thick black smoke.

I could only see the debris, and the faint running of fluids down the heaps of stone and rubble.

That supposedly clinched it for me.

They were dead.

My reactor seemed to stop humming at that point.

And I just _lost_ it.

All I could remember was a blur. I just recalled fists flying, my thrusters roaring in my audio receptors and the clanging of metal on metal mixed in with the metallic screeching of Ionesco's speakers as I whaled on him. A loud roar of fury and grief tore itself free from my vocalizer, matched by Ionesco's vocoder screeching in reply. I drew back my left fist and punched as hard as I could, my blow boosted by my psychoframe, which was now shining a brilliant bluish green color, an indicator of my sheer rage and utter grief at losing my friends.

My blows kept coming. Ionesco's armor was starting to dent, but he still wasn't going down. I could smell the heating and burning circuits and metal wires through my olfactory sensors, but I ignored it in favor of trying to bring this freak down with just my bare fists. My right hand was already damaged slightly from the constant pounding I was giving the former man, but I kept pouring on the damage anyway.

His left foot was starting to give. I could see his right shoulder was sparking. His chest was denting. And my optics landed on that single red orb in his chassis.

I drew back a hand and my beam tonfa flipped out, the pinkish blade igniting and I let out a howl of fury as I drove it forward, my optics flashing brightly. "HAAH!"

Only Ionesco had a secret weapon for just this occasion.

His chest orb flashed, and then a surge of electromagnetic energy erupted off of him, slamming into me and knocking me back. I landed on my back and skidded a few meters before coming to a stop. I grunted as I forced myself into a sitting position, ignoring the warnings flashing in my vision. "Y...You...bastard!" I hissed through the static now filling my own vocalizer. Thankfully it wasn't too bad and it faded rather quickly.

"You..."

My voice trailed off as I proceeded to stagger to my feet, shutting down all warnings in my vision.

Ionesco merely chuckled. " **Such foolish emotions. They only hold you back. Without them, we have a chance to halt the Grimm and attack them. Face it. Emotions are what draw the Grimm to humans. Without any emotions like hatred, anger, rage, and depression, they will lose their source of food... and they will die off. While the Pools may give birth to more, if we can starve the majority...** " His voice trailed off and I grasped the implications of his plans.

 _Now_ I understood what he was really after.

He wasn't looking out for the wellbeing of the human race. He was only seeking to destroy the Grimm.

Even if it cost him his own humanity.

And now he was trying to do the same to others.

Ionesco had truly gone down the road to Hell.

"That... is just sick!" I spat, coughing on reflex.

The cyborg merely waved a hand and snorted through his speakers. " **As I said, a small price to pay for the destruction of the Grimm. And a necessary evil to prevent them from ever returning.** "

I had no answer to that. Instead I held up a shaking hand and flipped him the bird.

Ionesco's chassis trembled at the gesture, and I realized I had just made a big mistake. I gulped as he aimed his Gatling gun at me and the barrels began to spool up.

I was sure I was finished. There was no way for me to get airborne in time, and I wasn't even sure if my frame could handle those kinds of rounds at such high speeds. I ducked my head and braced for the inevitable end as the gun buzzed, sending its shells right for me.

Or they would have if someone hadn't saved me.

The last thing I expected to hear was the rounds slamming into something hard... almost like... rock?

Wait. _Rock!?_

My optics flashed online as I had dimmed them for the inevitable end, and I was greeted with the sight of a rock wall right in front of me. I was stunned. This was...

I whipped my head to the left and was greeted with the sight of the rubble moving... and then a sword stuck itself out of the pile, held in a familiar red armored hand. Then a hammer stuck out as well, and slowly the rubble began to fall off as a rock done shifted and moved, retreating into the ground and vanishing. Dan and Rachel lowered their respective weapons and everyone else stood up, their eyes filled with fury and rage at the sneak attack, but mostly at what he was planning.

"Guys...! You... You're alive!" I gasped in shock.

Dan smirked. "Don't think we didn't have a plan," she said, jerking a thumb at Rachel. "She saved our asses today."

I laughed in relief. "Man... I'm just happy you survived!" I cried.

" **But how?! I thought I killed you!** " Ionesco howled.

"Never underestimate Hunters!" Tina snarled as she hefted a vial of explosive Dust in her hand. "And this time, we're not holding back!"

Dan nodded. "Yeah." Then she looked at me. "Hey, metalhead. Can you get her rapier? I have an idea..."

As she said this, she pointed to the wall which had partially collapsed, exposing the black pools. Most of the guards had left to change shifts, and at once I caught on. "You gotta be kidding me!" I blurted. "There's no telling what could happen!"

"It's either that or we get our asses whooped big time!" Dan growled.

For once, I realized she had a point. So far we had held our own, but only because we had the supplies. And as it stood, I was starting to sustain damage myself from the fight. So we had to finish this and quick.

I finally nodded. "All right. Let's do it."

We all turned to face him, resolve present in our eyes and optics.

Ionesco seemed to sense this and he threw back his head, cackling in response. " **You fools don't get it! There is no way you can beat me as I currently am!** " he crowed.

"Oh yeah? Well, I beg to differ!" I shot back. "So get ready, metalhead! Because you're going down!" I got into a fighting stance and Dan smirked.

I flared my wings and ignited my thruster pack, pushing off the ground using my powerful leg hydraulics and systems. The added force of the acceleration caught me by surprise briefly, but after a quick adjustment of my wings, I was speeding right for him.

The cyborg laughed. " **A suicide attack!? How fitting for your final end!** " he cried.

"Oh, hardly appropriate!" I muttered as I kept on course. I adjusted my frame and held out my shield in front, as if to ram him full force. He seemed to catch on and he held his right hand up, palm outwards as if to catch my impact.

But I wasn't intending on shield-bashing him. Instead I tossed my shield aside, and my hand lashed out, catching onto his forearm and I cut out my thrusters, using momentum alone to swing up and I placed my feet on his arm before springing off, my right hand catching onto the handle of Tina's rapier and pulling it clean out, at the same time slashing one of the wires and hydraulic lines connecting his shoulder to the servo motor in the joint. His cry of agony was music to my audio receptors as I placed both feet on his back again, and with a flip, I was airborne, flaring my wings and kicking on my thruster pack. He whirled around, his chassis now in front of the hole in the wall, as I sped away upside down before I righted myself and streaked for the group. I banked around and landed not too long after as Tina ran up to me. "That was nuts!" she blurted as she accepted her weapon back.

I nodded. "Sometimes you gotta get a little crazy," I remarked.

Ionesco's chassis was now smoking in several parts and I turned back to look at him. " **You... How dare you!** " he screeched.

"All right! Now!" Dan shouted.

We all nodded as one. " _Right!_ "

Nick was the first one. He got into a kneeling position, aiming his rocket launcher at Ionesco's heavy chassis, right at his chest. "I hope you like this one!" he snarled. "Because it's for all those people you destroyed!" He pulled the trigger and the launcher roared, sending its shaped projectile on a collision course with the cyborg general.

Tina's rapier snapped out into its whip configuration as she spun the Dust chamber to land on yellow Dust. "Time for you to get a _shock_ out of this one!" she hissed. With a crack of the whip, she sent an arc of electricity right for him. The lightning hit the rocket, encasing it in an electrical field.

Dan was next. She leapt up as her sword became wreathed in fire. "HAAAAAH!" She slashed as hard as she could, sending a horizontal shockwave right for the lightning encased rocket. The wave merged with the lightning and took on the shape of an arrowhead of sorts.

Martha held up her hands and thick moisture began to cloud the air before it began to condense into heavy drops of rain. With Hunter backing her up, she launched them right for the rocket, and the Hurricane winds added a deadly lethality to the combination.

Rachel thrust her hammer into the ground and large glass shards jutted out before several dozen smaller shards launched from them, adding to the devastating power behind the attack. "Time to break down that façade of yours!" she shouted.

I released all my fin funnels and aimed my other weapons as well. My beam burst gun swung into position and I held my left arm on my right to stabilize the beam shots. "EAT THIS!" I roared. "FIRE!" All my fin funnels, my head Vulcans, and my beam burst gun roared as one, sending a barrage of shells, plasma bursts, and lasers right for him. The salvo combined with the others' attacks, giving it a pinkish red glow of sorts.

The combined attacks arrowed towards him, and his lone eye widened while his optic flared in shock. " **WHAT!? NO! NO! _NOOOOOOOO!_** " he screamed.

Our attack struck him in the chest, the explosive force amplified by the rocket when it went off. The force of the shockwave was enough to throw all of us back, and send Ionesco flying, despite the heavy metal armor plating on his chassis. His electronic screams resonated as he flew back, and with a loud splash, he landed in one of the pools closer to the fortress.

I was the first one to stagger to my feet, despite the warnings in my vision. "D...Damn..." I rasped. "What a blast...!"

Slowly, one by one, we made our way over to the hole in the wall, and peered out at the pool.

The only thing sticking out was his metal hand, and it was slowly sinking into the Dark Substance. It clenched into a fist as a bubble emerged from the goop. It popped and that was all that we heard and saw of Ionesco.

The seven of us just stood there as his hand finished sinking into the Dark Substance. In a way, it was ironic. Ionesco had originally become a cyborg intent on saving the world, but then went down the road to Hell. And now he had been defeated, killed by the very substance that gave birth to the Grimm. But at the same time, it seemed to be poetic justice. He was no better than a Grimm at that point. So he deserved it.

Tina watched the spot where his hand had been before she shuddered. "Not a pleasant way to go..." she whispered.

"But he did deserve it," Nick replied. "After what he did..." His eyes hardened. "At least I don't treat my hosts like that..."

Hunter rolled his eyes. "Sure..." he drawled.

"Still..." Martha's voice trailed off. "Best we get out of here."

I nodded. "Right."

* * *

We got out of the Darklands within a week. Thankfully the numbers of Grimm were still low enough we could avoid them easily. A few times we had to fight, but it wasn't too bad. I had to admit, the trip in had been harder than the trip out.

It was close to the end of July when we finally exited the Darklands. Each of us was hot, tired and needed a break. I especially needed some repairs to my frame. So after some asking around I found a shop that specialized in repairing the prosthetic limbs Hunters sometimes had. And given how my frame was like a full body prosthetic, it was rather similar to repairing an artificial limb.

Regardless, it was a relief to have the damages repaired. Although I did request that a few scars be kept as reminders of how far I had come. By the time my repairs were completed, I was more than ready to handle my next assignment. But first I wanted answers.

Namely answers as to why Jaxon had been working with Ionesco.

But when I went to confront him, it turned out he had been arrested a few weeks ago on fraud charges for stealing funding from the City Guard. Still, being in jail meant I couldn't get answers from him. It was a shame, really. Thankfully Martha filled me in on why he had even sent me and Tina in to begin with, and I wound up punching the wall of the bus station in anger. (He had apparently been in debt and Ionesco had promised him he would get him out of debt if he lured potential subjects for cyborg conversion into the Darklands.)

I wanted to tear him a new one, but I refrained, seeing as how it wouldn't make me much better than a Grimm or Fallen. We finally returned to our home, and doing mundane tasks such as dusting and cleaning the floors was a huge relief, much as I hated to admit it. It gave me a sense of relief and peace knowing we were finally resting and resuming our lives as best as we could.

Yet we had no idea that soon we'd be roped into a new adventure unlike any other.

* * *

 _ **Fury.**_

 ** _Rage._**

 ** _Pain._**

 ** _That was all he felt._**

 ** _His entire chassis was_ burning _._**

 ** _He didn't know what was happening to him. He couldn't feel any other sensations except the burning. His metal armor was melting. His circuits were screaming. His optic was nonfunctional and his vocoder was useless. He couldn't even cry out._**

 ** _Ionesco shuddered as the Dark Substance seeped into his chassis through his vents and opened armor seams. He wondered what this stuff was doing to him. It was not a pleasant feeling and he hated it._**

 ** _He started to kick, struggling to swim up through this stuff, desperation pulsing in his chest. His own power core was starting to flicker and surrender to the Dark Substance, something he didn't want. He increased his efforts to escape. He couldn't see..._**

 ** _But his radar still worked. At least until the stuff started to affect it as well. Ionesco kicked harder..._**

 ** _And his metallic hand broke the surface of the Dark Pool._**

 ** _All the while, a pair of red eyes flickered in amazement. A smile crossed the lips of the watcher._**

 ** _Yes... this was interesting indeed. And as_ he _had always said,_ he _never wasted potential._**


	13. INTERLUDE I

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Dr. Cardias Vist_

 _Dr. Cardias Vist is the current head of the Vist Foundation, as well as the head of Project: GUNDAM._

 _Having been born into the wealthy Vist family, he grew up with all the wealthy trappings of his family's position, but much to everyone's surprise, he always saw it only as a means to live, not something to flaunt in the face of those less fortunate, especially the Faunus and Mobians his grandfather had looked out for. He was also taught that to help people was to get the greatest wealth of all, happiness and satisfaction, and that the wealth of money was not a means to true happiness._

 _As a result of this, Cardias went into engineering and medicine, gaining two doctorates from prestigious universities and starting to research prosthetic limbs. When he was only eighteen, he created his first prototype limb and showed it to his grandfather, who was very impressed by the design and functionality. But there was a problem, one that Cardias had not expected to surface so soon after the prototype was tested. There needed to be hardware installed to allow the person with the limb to use it._

 _Such a process was very invasive and young Cardias was sickened by the thought. He didn't wish to create cyborgs. His intentions, while good, were sure to lead him down the road to hell._

 _Regardless, he did sell the subsequent prosthetics, but neglected to give the hardware priority. He left that to a rival company, Zeonic Industries, who specialized in building sensory implants for wounded Huntsmen and Huntresses. The two companies had differing views on Faunus and Mobian rights as well, but that was more of a moot point when it came to the use of cybernetics to allow prosthesis users to use their artificial limbs._

 _That all changed when he met Dr. Minovsky early on in his career as the new head of the Vist Foundation once his grandfather stepped down from the top position, citing ill health as the reason. Thanks to Dr. Minovsky's revolutionary theories and proposals, he initiated the GUNDAM Project in hopes of showing that there was an alternative to becoming a cyborg. But due to the radical nature of the project, it was shut down. Regardless, Dr. Vist is still renowned for his company's state-of-the-art prosthetics and advocacy for Faunus and Mobian rights the world over._

 _Close File_

* * *

"What is it about wealth that makes people look up to the rich? Is it because of the fact that they don't have to struggle? Is it envy? Or is it just pure longing? Truth is, no one really knows. But there are those amongst the wealthy who take a more realistic world view and try to assist those who need it the most. Those few are the real leaders amongst the elite of the world. But the rest... they just don't care," TOM said as he closed the Dr. Vist file. "So ask yourself these questions. If you had enough money to be classified as a billionaire, what would you do? Would you keep it and hoard it for yourself and no one else? Or would you use it to help those in need? Because those who don't seek it... are often the ones most suited to be amongst the wealthy elites. They just don't know it until they get there."

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 ** **I **t's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (****** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 ** **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (**** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 ** **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (**** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 ** ** **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (****** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face_ **)**

 ** ** **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (****** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 ** ** **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (****** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 ** ** **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (****** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The scene shows a sinister eye with a slit for the pupil before it pans to the side to show two catlike eyes in its place_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure's eyes flash as a dark glow encompasses the screen, horrific images appearing along the edges of the screen_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ )

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large Ursa Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing the woman with the sword standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _She thrusts her sword forward and slashes with it, generating a fiery shockwave that explodes against the closest Grimm, thick smoke covering the screen before it fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it comes upon an island shrouded in shadow and ruin_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _Snow is falling on this island, engulfing the remains of battle in a thick layer of white like so many ghosts of the past long forgotten_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The island remains are shown from a distance as a cloaked figure in a white cape and hood stands atop a cliff_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The figure leaps off, throwing open its cape before a wave of blue energy streaks out from the sword on its left arm_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The wave explodes against a Grimm and the figure lands, running into the mist before vanishing like a ghost_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The mist parts as the woman wielding the shotgun aims it and pulls the trigger, sending shells right for the mechanical-organic forms of Spindle Grimm as they scuttle along the ground_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The Spindles skitter left and right to avoid as she steps back into the mist and vanishes_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The mist is blown aside as the man with the broadsword attacks, unleashing a wave of razor air right for the Spindles as they come out of the darkness of the night_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The Spindles are destroyed and turn into smoke as he whips around, his Aura seething a light purple in color as he charges_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the camera pans to the left, showing the woman with her hammer thrusting it at one of the Beetle Destroyer Grimm attacking her_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _She is surrounded, but then she draws back her hammer and slams it into the ground, knocking them back and destroying them as the smoke fades, showing the ruins from before_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

* * *

Several months ago was one of the worst times in my entire career as a Huntsman so far.

I still couldn't believe how easily Jaxon fooled us into going into the Darklands.

A snort escaped my chest as I lay back under the sun, my hands laced behind my head. I had to admit, I was completely furious at not just Jaxon, but at myself for believing such a stupid excuse for heading into the Darklands. And for using the City Guard to test us to see if we were cyborg material.

Thankfully we were able to defeat Ionesco and retreat back to civilization. And we brought with us the information from Outpost Prima, although we kept the location secret so as to prevent anyone from getting inside and looting it of anything of value, and mostly out of respect for Orion Prima who died there. (Plus something just told me it was for the best, anyway.)

To say that the information caused a stir was an understatement. What we had found set off a _firestorm_. The fact that so much about the Grimm had been gathered by an unknown civilization was what made others such as theorists of the Age of the Forgotten World's origins gather and debate for weeks on this. A few of those people actually tried to hunt us down to gather answers to their questions, but the media was turned away by the mayor of Denver, who had been the one to arrest Jaxon herself.

Of course, by the time we had fully recovered from the adventure, Tina and I got a call from none other than Phil Ken Sebben, the mayor of Grimmfall, the most advanced and well-known city the world over.

I was actually shocked by that. Not only were we getting a call from the headmaster of Nevernest Academy and the mayor of GrimmFall himself, but we also were being invited down to the city itself! I excused myself after that to try and clear my head as well as wrap my processor around this new development.

So I retreated outside and lay down under the tree in our front yard, my hands laced behind my helm and my wings spread out to either side of me. The sun felt good on my armor plating, and the faint humming of my reactor was enough to calm me down if I focused on it long enough. My optics locked onto the clouds as they drifted by overhead, and I smiled in my thoughts as I picked out a few shapes within them.

"Let's see... That there is a bird... An octopus... A plane..." My hand drifted up to point at the clouds. "That's a starfish... That there is a fish - a shakl, to be exact... And that one is a car."

I let my hand fall back to my side as I watched the clouds move out of my visual range. A sigh escaped my vents as I dimmed my optics, just basking in the outdoors. It felt good to finally be home, although my moment of peace was disrupted when Tina called to me from the porch. "Hey! Joseph!"

I winced in my thoughts as I brought my optics back online. "Yeah? What is it?" I called back.

"We're supposed to leave for GrimmFall soon!" she told me. "So get your aft in here and help me pack, will you?!"

I grumbled to myself about women and their need to bring extra stuff that they didn't even really need at times, but I kept that stuff to myself in my thoughts. And personally I was glad Tina wasn't one of those that brought makeup or other unnecessary items. (Half of the women never did in this world, anyway. But still, there were those few that did. And it really made me mad because a Grimm wouldn't give a woman a chance to reapply her makeup before attacking.)

Anyway, I got to my feet and headed inside to help Tina pack up the necessities, mainly food and clothing, as well as Dust for her rapier. I proceeded to gather up my own stuff, mostly my shield plus my Hyper Beam Sword, and my beam magnum. The tricky part would be to get our weapons past security at the airport, but to be honest, if you could prove you were a registered Hunter or Huntress, you could bring your weapons aboard an aircraft, so long as you had it in safe mode or in a sheath.

We left the house a few hours later after we finished packing our stuff. It didn't take us long to get to Denver International Airport, which was massive in of itself. The issue here was that it was also prone to Grimm attacks since it was closer to the Darklands than anywhere else, so there had to be powerful barriers erected around the airport so as to keep the Grimm back. It also helped that there was a dedicated group of Hunters on guard there at all times, many of them equipped with jetpacks or even small, custom-built one-seat airplanes of their own. (The barriers did allow planes and airships to land and take off, but the one problem was that sometimes the barrier would prevent a plane from landing.)

We finally arrived and went through the security procedures, which was a hassle as my frame set off the metal detectors, and after some scans and a rather uncomfortable poking around in my innards, they let us through. I made a mental note to rely mostly on either train or bus travel from now on. I was so embarrassed to have someone I didn't know probing around my innards looking for a bomb or whatever, given Satyra's recent actions. Whatever my feelings on the matter, though, we made it through the security and boarded the plane for GrimmFall.

We touched down at GrimmFall International Airport a few hours later and departed the plane. I was the first one off and making my way down to the luggage retrieval area before anyone was the wiser. Thankfully there were no security gates to get through here, and the metal detectors didn't react at my frame's metallic structure. That meant I had one less hassle to deal with as we finally left the airport.

Me and Tina were surprised to see that there was a limo waiting for us when we exited the main concourse. We both looked at one another, but didn't question it as we got in. The limo was very comfortable and spacious, allowing me room to flex my wings out a bit in comparison to sitting with them folded against my back all the time. The driver took us all the way down to the mayor's office where Phil Ken Sebben was waiting for us.

I had to admit, being treated like a guest of royalty was not what I had expected, and actually it made me feel a bit uneasy. I had never been treated like this before in my life, least of all after my subsequent transfer to my Gundam frame.

Regardless, after the limo had parked and we exited the vehicle, both of us were led inside by an aide, and I swore that had I been human still, my optics would've widened in shock at the office lobby. The ornate decorations and the glimmering chandeliers and other fine décor made me feel like I didn't belong there, and given how I was wearing a rather tattered and dirty cloak, I felt out of place completely. Tina's eyes were wide as she slowly turned around, her mouth falling open in awe.

The aide's voice cut into my thoughts at this point. "We mustn't keep him waiting," she said.

"Ah! Right! Sorry!" I called, running after her. Tina followed my lead and we fell back into step alongside the aide. She led us into an elevator and we started to ascend to the top floor where Sebben had his office. The interior of the elevator was somewhat more modest, and I felt a bit more at ease this time. We made good time and within less than five minutes we were outside his office. The aide walked up to the door and knocked on it.

"Who is it?" a man's voice asked.

"Sir, it's me. I've brought them," the aide replied. "Joseph Matthews and Tina Hendricks."

There was only silence for a moment before I perked up, my keen audios picking up footsteps in the office. The door jiggled for a moment before it opened, revealing the man we had come to see.

With a muscular build that was barely concealed by a business suit, Phil Ken Sebben sure had a presence that made him stand out even amongst the heroes that lived here in GrimmFall. The eye patch only indicated that he had been a very powerful Huntsman in his day, and his blonde hair was neatly combed back, something that made me grimace in my thoughts at a bit. Even so, Sebben was not one to really underestimate, given his rank as not just mayor of GrimmFall, but also headmaster at Nevernest Academy. I shivered a bit as he studied me intently and I drew my wings closer to my back on instinct to try and make myself seem smaller.

A smile crossed his face not even a moment later. "Ah. Good. You're right on time."

He stepped aside and opened the door all the way, gesturing for us to step inside.

I was first, and as I entered his office, I wasn't too surprised to see the city seal of GrimmFall on the floor. But I was amazed at the sheer view he had of the entire city. All around his office were massive windows, and some of the buildings were taller than his office, or at least appeared to be taller. It was kind of hard to tell. The flags of the United States and the city stood off to the side behind his desk, which was an expanse of oak all its own. The city seal was emblazoned on it, making it seem all the more official.

But what really surprised me was seeing that me and Tina weren't the only ones present.

Hunter, Martha, Rachel, Nick, and Dan were also present. They stood off to the side, leaning against the wall or sitting in chairs with their arms or legs crossed. And they weren't the only ones, either.

For before us was an older man in his late seventies, with a thatch of receding grey hair, a thick moustache and beard to match. While he may have been in a wheelchair, his upper body still had full functionality. He wore a white lab coat and a brown suit which was rather plain, but it was the brilliant intellect in those brown eyes that caught my optic. It was then that my reactor skipped a hum or two as I realized who this man was. He may have been older, but he was in no way a decrepit old man in mentality. His name was legendary in the realm of nuclear physics. This man was none other than Dr. Torenov Y. Minovsky, the creator of the Minovsky nuclear fusion reactor. The very same one that now powered my frame.

Beside him stood another familiar face, one I knew from having seen him all too often some years back.

Dr. Cardias Vist stood beside him, arms folded across his chest. His dark grey business suit was a stark contrast, as it was more modernized than Dr. Minovsky's. His hair had a lot more grey in it, but it was still whole on his head. His eyes also seemed to have a bit more of a sag underneath them, but he still held the same resolve he had when we first met. I recognized the unicorn emblem on his left breast, but didn't say a thing.

Phil finally made his way back to his desk and gestured for all of us to sit in the chairs he had assembled for this meeting.

The majority of us took our seats, save for Minovsky who maneuvered his wheelchair to face Sebben's desk.

The mayor sat down behind his desk to face us and leaned forward, tenting his fingers in front of his face as he scanned over us critically.

"I must admit, I'm rather impressed with your achievements," he mused as he looked at us. "Especially given how you all survived within the Darklands for over a month."

"Well, it's not like we had a choice," I remarked. "That idiot Jaxon led me and Tina into a trap."

"I know," Sebben replied.

That made me perk up as he continued. "The mayor of Denver informed me of that little matter, so I'm not too surprised. He always was a bit of a fraud."

"Sir, mind me asking why you called us down here to begin with?" Tina asked.

Sebben merely nodded. "The reason I called you down here was to debrief you all, as well as explain why we needed you to take care of Ionesco."

"And what about the information we gathered?" I inquired. "What will be done with that?"

"Simple." Sebben grinned. "We'll start trying to piece it together and hopefully we'll be able to learn more about the Fallen. You two found a treasure trove of information out there." Then he became serious. "But I have to know where you found this exactly. No one else outside of this group will know, if you're wondering."

Tina and I glanced at one another in worry, but then we looked back at Sebben. "All right. But just for the record, no one is to go and look for the place, okay?" Tina said. And she was serious, I realized. A nod came from me in agreement.

Sebben nodded back. "Very well. No one shall disturb that spot," he replied.

"We found this information within an alien military base within the Darklands," Tina began. "But contrary to popular belief, this base is actually - no, was - even older than some of the other bases that were found across the world. The aliens that made it... were cybernetic lifeforms from another world."

That threw Sebben for a loop. Even my friends were in shock. His lone eye widened in surprise. "Alien robots? That's something new," he mused as he leaned forward so his hands were resting beneath his chin.

"It's true, sir," I remarked. "However, sometime during its existence, it fell under attack by the Fallen and the inhabitants turned on one another in a bid for survival. Only a few remained, and the commander of the base integrated himself into it just to keep it going until someone came by." I looked down at my hands as they lay clenched in my lap. "He let us take the data pads that contained the information we needed. And he told us about who attacked them."

Sebben frowned. "Who?" he asked.

"A Fallen named Sammael, I think," I replied.

"I see..." Sebben's voice trailed off.

"Sir, just who is Sammael? And why is this guy so dangerous?" Martha asked finally.

Sebben paused as he considered his next words. His eye roved over us before he pushed back his chair and stood up. He turned and walked over to the window, looking out at the city with a concerned look on his face.

"Sammael..."

We all waited for his next words.

"Sammael... is a Fallen," he began. "A Fallen whose power and experience is far greater than any known man."

"We know that much," Dan drawled.

"But what you don't know is how old he really is, and how long he's been around for," Sebben continued. "He is a Fallen who has lived for a thousand years. A _thousand_ years. Think about that." He turned to look at us over his shoulder. "When did the Grimm first appear?"

"A thousand years ago in Japan, back during the reign of the Emperor. The very man who created the first generation of Huntsmen and Huntresses. Everyone knows that," Rachel remarked. "So why-"

"Ah. And therein lies the tale of Sammael," Sebben interjected. He turned back to us and held up a finger. "Sammael's origins can be traced back to that very time. It was during that very period in time that the Grimm spread out, even with the sealing of the Pool from which they came. The only reason why they spread out as quickly and as far as they did was because of the Fallen. And the one who led them was someone whose powers surpassed all others, even at that time."

He lowered his hand. "Sammael was that very individual. He somehow gained mastery over his powers and the instinct for killing that all Fallen share with Grimm. And he saw what was about to happen. So he, and others like him, ordered the Grimm to expand out across the world to prevent anyone from sealing them away," he explained.

The silence that filled the room was thick enough to cut with a beam saber. All I could hear was the breathing of my friends, the faint whirring of my reactor, and the humming of the air conditioning unit.

"So... Sammael... he's the one who..." Nick held up a finger, doing some mental calculations. He lowered his finger. "They say he was there when the Emperor lost his sword..." he mused softly.

"At least that's how the legend goes..." Sebben mused. "But we can't confirm it... nor has anyone been able to confirm it. Regardless, he was there, and Japan lost a huge morale booster because of it."

"I take it you have something else to tell us?" Hunter asked.

Sebben was silent, but nodded. "Yes. He's got plans. Big plans. What they are... we don't know entirely, but we fear it could mean the end of everything we worked for," he stated seriously. His eye flashed. "He's been around a thousand years, so he's got experience and resources to use against us."

"I think I get what you're saying, then," Tina remarked. "That you're trying to prepare people for the coming fight."

Sebben didn't say anything to confirm or deny it. Instead he turned back to us and then looked at the two older men. "Sammael is also one to not ignore any potential to his plans," he continued. "And that brings us to the topic of Ionesco."

"And for good reason," Dr. Minovsky rumbled from beside us. We all looked at him as he began to speak. He leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on the armrests and placing his hands in front of his mouth. "Ionesco, while brilliant, was also an idiot." His eyes narrowed. "An idiot who didn't understand what he was getting into with the creation of cyborgs."

"Cyborgs, as you have all guessed and seen, are those individuals who are half human and half machine," Sebben began. "And most, if not all, scientists and science-fiction writers, agree that if cyborgs were to proliferate and expand their numbers, they could launch a cyborg revolution. In comparison, robots such as those developed by Sanban Industries pose no risk at all, as they have been programmed to only fulfill a certain directive. The directives are a core part of what makes them a robot."

Dr. Minovsky nodded. "I'll take it from here, Sebben," he remarked.

The mayor relented as the old nuclear physicist wheeled himself up to the front of the desk and around to face us. "Ionesco was once a colleague of mine, and while he was passionate and driven to help people, he also had a ridiculous idea of building a cyborg army to combat the Grimm and defeat them. He also had this... insane idea of linking them together in what he called the Collective," he stated. "And that he felt was the only way to remove the Grimm's source of negative emotions."

"He told us that himself," I remarked. "And it is nothing but sick." I flared my optics as I said this.

"I completely agree with you on that one, Joseph," Minovsky explained. "But not for the reasons you might think." His eyes hardened as he leaned forward again. "His ideas are only a substitute for the Grimm. In truth, he's no better than they are. He only wanted to do so in order to supplant the Grimm as the dominant species on Earth."

"So one monster for another..." Dan growled. "Don't see how he'd be saving humanity that way."

Minovsky nodded. "That's exactly my point. He's not saving anyone by doing that. In fact, he'd only make it worse. No humanity means no individuality, and no individuality means no diversity." He was silent briefly before he continued. "And that is why he had to be stopped. So as to prevent his goals from being carried out."

"Even if he was killing the Grimm?" I asked. "Because when we were infiltrating his fortress, we saw dozens and dozens of his cyborgs killing Grimm as they attempted to crawl out of the pools."

The old scientist frowned. "So he was intent on that part after all..." he rumbled. "But still, he had to be stopped for the sake of the world as a whole."

"Yeah. We get that," Rachel added as she rolled her eyes.

"But this also has to do with why we used you for Project: GUNDAM, Joseph," Dr. Vist finally said.

All of us looked to the CEO of the Vist Foundation. "About time!" Hunter remarked, throwing his hands up.

"See, we were intent on giving you a chance to live and fight without being a cripple," Dr. Vist began, "but there was another reason beneath it as well." He paused for a moment, as if considering his words. "Our secondary reason was to show the potential for a new breed of warrior, one that was mentally human, but physically a machine. The real melding of humanity with mechanical life. Not a mockery like a cyborg, but..."

"Gundam..." I breathed. "You wanted to create Gundams to contrast cyborgs...!"

Dr. Vist nodded. "Yes. That was the reason behind Project: GUNDAM to begin with."

"So tell me..." Minovsky leaned forward in his chair a bit, his eyes gazing into each of our own eyes (and optics). "I know you say you defeated him, but based on what I remember of him he's bound to have had some kind of contingency plan in preparation for his defeat. How did you manage to beat him?"

"In truth, I think we just got lucky," Dan mused. "I mean, the guy had a barrier that none of our attacks could penetrate. At least until Tina's rapier was wedged into his shoulder joint."

"Not to mention his entire body was made of metal," I remarked. "That chassis was _way_ bigger than me and it was huge in terms of size." I folded my arms across my chest as I leaned back in my seat. "And don't get me started on the armaments that guy had."

Minovsky hummed thoughtfully as we each took turns detailing the fight. But when we told him what we did to stop him... well, let's just say that for an old guy, he has one hell of a temper.

"You did **_WHAT?!_** " he roared, his voice shaking the windows a bit. "You knocked him into the Pools of Darkness?!"

"We couldn't exactly defeat him without any more supplies!" Dan shot back as she faced him down. "And we sure as hell didn't know where his power core was, now did we?!"

Dr. Vist took the chance to step in between the two and separate them. "Enough!" he snapped. "I understand that your fears are justified, Torenov, but it doesn't mean you can tear into them like this! They didn't know, but hopefully the stuff will have killed Ionesco. If not, then we'll deal with that when the time comes. But for now we have other things to worry about." He gazed at all of us. "And I mean it."

Dr. Minovsky huffed, but relented to his old friend. "Very well, Cardias."

We all looked to Sebben who had a grim look on his face. "So... now that we've covered Ionesco's defeat, we have another issue."

"Such as?" I cocked my helm to the side.

Sebben's eye narrowed. "A few years ago there was a massive Grimm attack."

"So? Grimm attacks happen all the time," Martha replied.

"A Grimm attack on Flowertopia." Sebben's eye flashed.

That alone was enough to throw us for a loop. I sat upright abruptly, my reactor skipping in my chest again. "Wait! Flowertopia was attacked?!" I blurted, my optics flashing in shock.

Sebben nodded. "Yes."

That sent shudders racing down my back struts.

Flowertopia was a name that no one ever expected to be associated with a Grimm attack, primarily because of how peaceful it was. Despite the peace though, it had a _booming_ tourist industry and it was well-known for the naturally made jams, fruit spreads, honey, and milk its people made to sell to the tourists. The only stipulation it had with the rest of the world was that no one possessing a weapon was allowed on the island. So most Hunters and Huntresses who went there usually left their weapons back home or on board whatever ship they used to get there.

But to hear it had been attacked by the Grimm...

"But why? I thought that place was safe from the Grimm..." Tina whispered in shock.

"That's what we thought too. At least until recently," Sebben said softly. His eye was filled with concern.

"Hasn't anyone started an investigation?" Nick asked. "Because this is not natural."

"We have," Sebben explained. "Or at least we _had_. Until the team we sent there up and vanished, never to be seen again."

"And all of them were class IV Hunters to boot," Minovsky cut in. "Hunters like that are hard to defeat."

"So basically you want some of us to go in and investigate this, right?" I asked, starting to piece things together.

Sebben nodded. "Yes. Or rather, I'm only sending two of you. The rest will be assigned different parts to this investigation."

"Who's going to the island then?" Hunter asked.

"Out of all of you, the best bet would be Tina and Joseph, seeing as how they fought against General Skarr and retrieved all that info," the old nuclear scientist suggested.

"I have to agree with my old friend," Dr. Vist put in. "Those two are a good team for this task."

Sebben was silent as he considered their proposal.

"Hold on! Don't we get a say?!" I blurted.

"Yeah!" Tina remarked.

"You do. So, what do you think then?" Sebben asked us. "Who do you think should go?"

I paused before looking at my friends. Martha and Hunter seemed to be the most obvious. "I think Hunter and Martha should go," I replied. "They're just as skilled, if not more, than us."

"Oh, no! We're not going because we may be assigned someplace else!" Hunter shot back.

We bounced around ideas for another fifteen minutes before Sebben finally called it to a vote. The vote was overwhelmingly in favor of having me and Tina go, which wasn't much of a surprise, to be honest, but still...

Anyway, once the vote was approved, Sebben pulled me and Tina aside as the others filed out of the room. Once they were gone, the mayor of GrimmFall walked over to the window and looked out. Me and Tina joined him.

"Flowertopia... I never thought it would be possible..." he murmured. "And now... our team, missing and who knows what happened to them..." His shoulders sagged and he seemed to be weighed down by the responsibilities of both positions.

"Sir... for the mission, you want us to see what happened to the team?" Tina asked.

"That... as well as figuring out what drew the Grimm to Flowertopia to begin with," Sebben clarified. "There is no way the Grimm should've attacked it. But they did. What I want to know is _why_ , and _what_ drew them to the island in the first place." He turned to face us. "That is your mission. And I expect a full report when you get back to the mainland."

"How long are we supposed to be there?" I asked.

"As long as it takes. You will be given a few months' worth of supplies, and maybe you can find other supplies on the island. I don't expect you to find anything right away, but if you _do_ find something of significance, let me know ASAP," he stated.

We both nodded as one. "Yes, sir!"

Sebben finally let us go, and once outside, he called in the rest of the group, leaving me and Tina alone. Minovsky and Dr. Vist had left a few minutes before we were allowed to leave, so they were long gone. But the CEO of the Vist Foundation had left a package for me at the hotel we were staying at.

We headed back to the hotel where we were staying and made our way up to our room. Once inside, I was surprised to see the package sitting on the bed. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to open it, but eventually curiosity got the better of me and I opened it.

The contents were a surprise to me.

Even Tina was shocked to see I had been given a pair of missile pods. I looked at them and finally figured they were meant to be mounted on my shoulder guards, which was a hassle as I needed to fiddle and mess with them for a full half hour before they finally stayed in place. It would take some getting used to, the extra weight, but it was bound to prove to be useful later on down the line.

In addition to the missile pods was a pair of Gatling guns that looked like they could also be mounted on my shoulder guards. I wondered what was up with the added weaponry, but I brushed it aside and stowed the guns in Tina's suitcase.

That evening we met with the rest of the group at a diner in downtown GrimmFall, a local fish joint that Sebben recommended. In truth, I wasn't that big a fan of greasy diner food when I was human, so I was actually glad to be a Gundam at that point. Regardless, the others were not complaining about it, although if they had distasteful thoughts on the food, they kept those thoughts to themselves.

Dan was the one who had secured us reservations, and actually the place wasn't that bad. The interior was actually quite nice, which made me wonder if it was a chain fish joint or something. We were guided to a large table where the others sat, and boy, were they surprised to see my additional weapons. But I brushed their questions about the missile pods aside and sat down beside Tina and Hunter.

"So, what's the mission for you two?" Hunter finally asked.

"Well, we're being sent to Flowertopia to try and find out what exactly happened to the team that was sent there, as well as see if we can figure out what drew the Grimm to the island in the first place," I explained.

"So basically an investigation at the site," Martha mused. "Still, I can't believe that the island got attacked. It was so peaceful..."

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm not liking this one bit..." I muttered as I folded my arms across my chest.

"What about the rest of you?" Tina asked her.

Martha sighed. "We're being sent to check out a new lead, specifically concerning that Mandark Industries or whatever it's called."

"Hold on. You mean that place DexLabs is supposed to be suing at some point?" Nick asked as he looked at her. "I read about that in the news some time ago. But I don't think they ever got around to actually carrying it out as of yet."

Mandark Industries was a recent startup company and quickly grew into a powerhouse of its own alongside the more commonly known corporations such as the Fullbright Corporation and Sanban Industries. But of course, no one knew much about it, so it was a total mystery to us. But to hear that Martha and the rest were being sent to check it out? How did this tie into Flowertopia's circumstances?

"How does that place tie into Flowertopia's situation?" Tina asked.

Martha shrugged. "Beats me. All we know is that Sebben wants it checked out, because it came into existence only a few months ago."

"Exactly three years after the attack on the island," Hunter muttered. "He said it's a little too coincidental to be ignored."

"Hmm... That may be the reason why then," I mused.

Our conversation was interrupted when the waitress came over to take our orders. We had each consulted a menu during our chat, so the rest gave the woman their orders. When she asked me what I wanted, I politely declined, stating I had just eaten before we came (not that she needed to know I _didn't_ need nourishment anymore.) The Mobian took the little white lie and nodded in acceptance before she collected the menus and wandered off after taking the orders.

"Back to the matter at hand," Hunter said. "This seems a little too coincidental to ignore, don't you think?"

"We already established that," I said. "It seems a bit strange though that three years right after the attack the company came into existence."

The others all nodded in agreement.

"So, what else did he want you guys to do?" Tina asked.

"Some of us we decided are to investigate another angle," Dan remarked. "And Nick's going to be the one who does it. Remember, he can phase into things and possess people. So he'll be doing some investigating in the underworld to try and gather information on Sammael."

"Oh boy... That's gonna be tricky," I remarked.

Nick nodded. "I know. While you two were busy with Sebben, I did some poking around and found a new host." He smirked. "A real knockout of a woman. Exotic, too. Think she might be from Africa."

I rolled my violet optics as best I could. I knew Nick's tendencies, and this time they were bound to come in handy, I figured. That is, if he wasn't too reckless. I knew he liked to bed powerful men when using a sexy woman for a host.

Anyway, I brushed those thoughts aside and we resumed our conversation. But this time Rachel brought up something I hadn't even considered.

"When you guys get to Flowertopia, be sure to keep an eye out for the Grimm Slayer," she said.

"Hold up. Grimm Slayer? Who's that?" I asked.

"You mean you haven't heard?" Rachel was in disbelief. "Geez, Joseph! Where were you these last few weeks? Under a rock?"

I was about to reply, but then considered against it and sighed. "No, but I wasn't really paying attention to the news," I said honestly.

"Well, anyway, the Grimm Slayer has recently been making a name for himself," Rachel clarified. "He's a man clad mostly in white, and some say he's able to wield a scythe and a very powerful Semblance that can cleanse a Grimm of its evil."

"Seriously?!" Hunter looked at her incredulously. "A man in robes and whatnot?! I don't think so! Rumors have been circulating that he's more of a Terminator than anything!"

The two looked like they were about to get into an argument, but thankfully Tina held out her hands to separate them. "No fighting here!" she said seriously.

Both of them glared at her, but relented and sat back down.

"Anyway, we'll try and keep our eyes and optics peeled for him," Tina assured my old teammate.

The rest of us nodded before the Mobian waitress came back with some of the food.

I had to admit, seeing that lobster was bringing back memories of the time my parents took me out to dinner at the local seafood restaurant. I still could remember the way it tasted, so creamy and rich. The smell wasn't helping matters either, and I clenched my right hand on my lower torso, remembering the feeling of a rumbling stomach.

Okay. I had to admit. There _were_ times I missed being human, and this was one of them.

Some small part of me wanted to take a nibble, but I couldn't, since I wasn't even flesh and blood anymore. I had to turn my head away from the sight of that succulent lobster just to keep myself from snatching a small morsel.

Anyway, the others' orders arrived as well, and I had to excuse myself from the table for a few moments. Not just because I needed to clear my head, but mostly to avoid feeling left out from the good food. Once I left the table, I made my way outside and took in some fresh air through my vents before letting it out in a sigh. I sat down for a few minutes, just looking at the sky overhead, watching a few birds coming and going, along with some of the other... well known individuals... within the city. One of them wore a flag-themed cape, and my optics locked onto his location in the sky. I zoomed my vision in on him and I snorted as I spotted that big chin and arrogant features.

Major Glory, one of the world's strongest beings.

I hated to admit it, but the strength that guy possessed was way above mine. But even so, if there was one thing he didn't have that I did, it was the fact that I was much more heavily armed than he was. But that wasn't even really counted as his own powers were just as good as a fully armed Gundam.

I sighed and returned my vision to normal human focus. I stood up and made my way back into the restaurant before heading over to the table where my friends sat.

The food was partly gone, so it was somewhat easier for me to stand. I sat back down and we resumed our conversation from earlier.

"The Grimm Slayer... never thought there'd be someone with a nickname like that," Tina muttered around a mouthful of biscuit.

"Well there are all kinds of people with nicknames," I remarked. I held up a hand and started counting them. "There's Major Glory, the Infraggible Krunk, Valhallen... Birdman... Blue Falcon..." I lowered my hand. "And the list goes on."

"Yeah. But I don't think any of them can compare to you," Martha joked. She set down her fork on her plate of spaghetti and shrimp. "I mean... during the fight against Ionesco, you were more like a dragon than anything with how hard you fought."

I perked up and looked at her. "Huh?" I inclined my helm a bit.

"You heard me. People have been talking about the Dragon of Denver for a few months now." Martha smirked at me.

"Dragon... of Denver?" I squeaked.

Hunter grinned. "Yeah. And trust me. It suits you, Joseph," he said as he jabbed his fork at me, splattering my chest armor with some lobster sauce.

Tina then looked to me and smiled as she set down her biscuit. "You did say you needed a new nickname, right? Well... how does Dracon sound?"

I paused, silently turning the name over in my thoughts. Dracon...

"Dracon..." I tried saying the name aloud, and the way it crawled out of my vocalizer... it had a nice ring to it... and it sounded... appropriate... given my appearance. I slowly looked at my reflection in the window we were seated next to, and with my psychoframe active, I did seem rather draconic, in a way. Especially with my wings. I turned my gaze back to the others.

"Dracon. I like it," I said.

"Glad you do, given your appearance and all," Martha said with a smirk. She handed me a napkin to wipe the sauce off my armor. "And it does suit you."

Hunter smirked. "You got it. Dracon works well."

Rachel paused, but then she shrugged with a smile. "Why not? Better than Dragonfang, right?"

I glanced at her in disbelief. "Really?!" I blurted.

Everyone cracked up at that, and even I found myself caught up in the laughter.

We finished dinner and after a quick round of dessert, we exited the diner and paid for the meal. Sebben had graciously offered us money to pay for the meal, but Dan declined, stating she'd pay for it instead, something he was surprised at, but accepted regardless. Soon we were heading back to the hotel, and Tina and I made a beeline for our room.

Once in the room, Tina looked to me. "Y'know..." she said softly. "I... I never got to..." Her voice trailed off as I cocked my head to the side a bit. She flushed lightly.

"You okay?" I asked.

She nodded, inching a bit closer. "Y-Yeah..." she whispered. "I..." She leaned in, and I began to feel a bit uneasy, my reactor skipping lightly in my chest as she hesitated, her lips inches from my faceplate.

"Um... I..." I wasn't sure what she was up to, but then she backed away, blushing even redder.

"Sorry. I just don't know what came over me..." she said softly. "I don't want to frighten you or anything..." I was very confused now. Was she hiding something?

As she stood there, I couldn't help but think the way she was blushing made her seem cute. The way she fiddled with her fingers only added to her adorableness, and I wondered what it would be like to have her close to me in my arms... Her heart beating against my chest armor and her lips pressing to my faceplate...

I startled myself with those images, and shook my helm to dispel them.

What was going on with us?

We stayed like that for a few minutes before we got ready for bed. Tina retreated into the restroom while I hurried over to the sink and turned on the cold water full blast. I dipped my hands under the stream and leaned over, splashing my face with cold water, trying to reduce the heating in my facial plating. What was going on with me? Why was I so warm all of a sudden?

The cold water did help cool me down somewhat, but I still felt a bit warm in my chest area, mostly around where my reactor was. But the weird thing was, there were no readouts indicating a rise in its temperature. In fact, all my reactor readouts were normal. I brushed it aside though and proceeded to remove my weaponry for recharge.

Tina came out of the restroom ten minutes later, dressed in a nightgown that flaunted her curves nicely. I quickly buried my face in the book I was reading in bed to avoid her seeing the blush on my faceplate. I slowly peeked around the pages as she seemed to float towards her own bed, placing her dirty clothing off to the side in a plastic bag. She perked up and I hid my face again in my book.

After a few more minutes, I shut the book and turned off the light, flipping over onto my side and dimming my optics for recharge. The last thing I thought of before sleep came up to claim me was of her blushing face, her blue eyes standing out more than ever...

* * *

The next day was perhaps something we did not expect.

I slowly came out of recharge, my systems coming online as the alarm clock beside the beds blared. My sleep-filled mind only wondered how on Earth the alarm was blaring when I hadn't set it. My metal fist lashed out and I punched the snooze button, earning a slight cracking on the alarm clock from my strength. I pulled my arm back under the covers and buried my head under the pillow to try and get a few more seconds of recharge.

But it wasn't going to happen.

The next thing I knew, Tina's hand was grabbing the pillow and pulling it away from my face. "Okay, sleepyhead. Time to get up."

I groaned a bit. "What time is it?" I whined.

"It's almost eight in the morning, and we're supposed to leave for San Diego in an hour and a half," Tina said. "We're leaving for Flowertopia once we get there."

"Already?!" I blurted, sitting up abruptly.

She nodded. "Yep. Sebben came by to give me the tickets earlier."

I was out of bed in a flash, grabbing my weapons and attaching them to my frame in a hurry. The shoulder missile pods were the last thing to be attached before I grabbed my cloak and threw it on before I snatched my beam magnum from where it lay on the floor. Once we finished packing, we left the hotel in the same limo that took us to see Sebben.

After we were dropped off at the airport we proceeded through customs and soon we were airborne on a flight for San Diego.

Of course, things were only bound to get more interesting once we arrived at the island...


	14. Arc I - Prologue

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Dark Gundam_

 _Very little is known about the origin of this powerful Fallen, least of all his abilities. Many rumors and theories circle around about this mecha, but none are true, or those that do have some grain of truth are usually disregarded by professionals until real data can be gathered. All that is known for sure is that he is a monster, something no one should tangle with._

 _Especially as he came crawling out of the Pools of Darkness..._

 _Close File_

* * *

"You know that old saying don't judge a book by its cover? Well, many people always make assumptions without realizing that not all assumptions and stereotypes are true. Just look at the boogey man. Who's to say that he's only a monster? What if he's actually fighting to protect you from something even more sinister?" TOM explained as he closed the Dark Gundam file. He leaned back in his seat and tented his metal fingers. "Then again, it can also be applied to real life situations and even the least expected of places. Like an old dilapidated store. Who's to say it can't be turned into something like a prospective business venture? Or that woman on the street? What if she's not as helpless as she seems? What if she's a veteran of the military? Or what if she can hold her own thanks to martial arts training? That's the thing about assumptions and stereotypes. They are often seen as a generalization and that can have negative implications on how we see the world. So before you start to make assumptions, try and think. Is that black man a gangster? Or is he just trying to make a living? Next time you see someone like that, put yourself in their shoes and try to see things from their perspective. It could open your eyes to a whole new viewpoint." He leaned back and tapped a button on his chair's armrest.

* * *

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc I: Prologue**

* * *

 _The cavern was perfect to hide in._

 _Especially as he needed to recover from his submergence in the pool._

 _The Dark Substance had affected him, and not in a positive way._

 _His entire chassis had changed._

 _And he_ despised _how he looked._

 _His new optics flashed a sinister green as he huddled over, nursing his wounded pride and ego._

 _But the worst part was... he had lost his cyborg shells._

 _All thanks to those fools who were recruited by Minovsky, the old coot._

 _He growled, his new vocalizer sounding much deeper than the brat known as Joseph Matthews._

 _Especially Joseph Matthews._

 _ _He hated what they had done to him.__

 _ _He was now one of the enemy.__

 _ _A Grimm.__

 _ _His chassis shuddered as a jolt of pain lanced through him, reaching out from his chest and into his extremities. His new legs buckled and he fell to his larger knees, grimacing in his thoughts.__

 _ _Oh, how'd he give anything to make them pay, those fools!__

 _ _Ionesco's mind was filled with nothing but hatred for them. How he wished to get them in his hands and crush their skulls... make them suffer for what they did to him. How he wanted to get his hands on Joseph Matthews and tear him limb from limb, leaving his parts scattered across the battlefield as a reminder to never cross his path...__

 _ _What was with him as of late? Ever since he had crawled out of that disgusting pool of sludge, he had these weird new instincts, urging him to kill, kill, and__ kill _ _...__

 _ _He growled to himself as he clenched his hands on his arms, feeling his fingers digging into the new white armor that covered his limbs. He hated what he had become.__

 _ _An intense anger resonated through him and he had to struggle to keep his mind focused. It was becoming harder and harder as time passed. But he was not about to give up that easily. He just had to stay focused long enough to try and master these new instincts. Then he could take his revenge on the group who had made him suffer so much. His optics shimmered in anger, and he clenched his now massive metal fists.__

 _ _The only issue was how? How could he gain control over these new instincts?__

 _ _His reactor core pulsed in his chest and he drew in breath through his new intakes, shuddering at the sensation.__

 _ _"If only... I could get... my servos... on them...!" he hissed, his new vocalizer straining to process his deeper, more ominous voice.__

 _ _He didn't even know if he was even really alive anymore, given what he had become.__

 _ _But if anything, he knew he needed to recover some of his strength before he relaunched his operations to slay the Grimm. Or rather his brethren, now. And that thought made him shudder, mostly out of despair for them.__

 _ _No! He couldn't think of them as kin! He was a cyborg! He was superior to them! He was...__

 _ _A twinge of pain in his chest made him grunt and he doubled over. He__ wasn't _superior to them. He was an equal, something he despised. Oh, how he wished he could be a cyborg once again! Not this... this... Grimm!_

 _His processor hummed as he tried to gather his thoughts in order. Alas, it was easier said than done given how much his new instincts threatened to overcome him. He huddled into a ball, his new massive shoulder guards hunching and making him seem like a creature of a child's imagination. In a way, he was even worse than that. His entire lower body had become something he never expected, and it drove him to madness. Stripped of movement, save for thrusters on his backside, he was nothing more than a half-being._

 _He didn't even want to know what he looked like in full detail._

 _Ionesco was so furious and his thoughts were so hateful he had attracted the attention of someone he did not expect._

 _Footsteps on stone caught his audio receptors and he turned, his gaze landing on the direction they were coming from._

 _Ionesco's optics flared as he turned slowly, ponderously, to face the direction of the footsteps._

 _"Who's...there?" he rumbled._

 _The footsteps drew closer, and a young man's voice reached out from the shadows._

 _"Oh, just someone who's taken a keen interest in your work," the voice mused._

 _He perked up. "What...work?" he growled lowly._

 _The speaker stepped closer, his features becoming more visible in the dim lighting cast by his new frame's red components, and Ionesco recoiled in shock and disgust._

 _Blood red hair that streamed down to the middle of his back._

 _Pale skin as white as snow._

 _Deep red eyes that pulsed with intense curiosity and interest._

 _And black clothing that seemed to be made from the darkness itself._

 _A smile crossed the man's face as he stopped in front of Ionesco._

 _"You!" Ionesco bellowed, the entire cavern shaking with the force of his yell._

 _"Ah. Do not worry. I am not here to harm. But rather... I have a proposition for you," the Fallen said as he held up a hand to calm the enraged mecha._

 _"What kind of proposition? And why ask me to work with scum like you!?" Ionesco hissed._

 _"It's simple. I know you have a grudge against someone, yes?" the Fallen mused as he lowered his hand. "Someone who left you... and who despised your work. Someone who sent those fools to take you down... and left you as you are."_

 _"That idiot... Minovsky..." the mecha rumbled threateningly. "He...doesn't get...what I am trying to do..."_

 _"Ah. That is the issue, isn't it?" the Fallen asked calmly. "Some people just don't get how someone can be so brilliant, and so idiotic at the same time." He shook his head. "Such fools. They have no grasp of the potential for your project."_

 _Ionesco was silent as he pondered the Fallen's words._

 _"You see, I have need of someone of your abilities," he continued. "And if you promise to assist me, I can assist you in your goal."_

 _"What is...in it for...me?" Ionesco asked slowly._

 _The Fallen's smirk grew into a grin. "I will help you... to gain control of your new instincts, as well as help you awaken your Aura and Semblance. As well as let you carry out your goals with exterminating those who left you in this...new form."_

 _The ex-cyborg looked down, clenching his fists on his armor. "Why?" he asked. "Why help me?"_

 _"You, my friend, are the world's first artificially created Fallen. When you fell into the pool, the Dark Substance altered your chassis, giving you greater abilities than even a mere cyborg. You are something much greater," the Fallen said simply. "And actually, you could be considered the antithesis to the Gundam that defeated you."_

 _Now_ that _threw Ionesco for a loop. "The antithesis?"_

 _The Fallen nodded his head. "Yes. You, Ionesco, are the dark side of the Gundam Project."_

 _"Dark side... of Gundam..." Ionesco paused. "I...like it..."_

 _"But now... to fit your new appearance, you will need a new name," the Fallen mused. "How does... Devil sound?"_

 _"Devil... Yes... I like it..." he rumbled. "Devil... Gundam..."_


	15. Arc I - Arrival

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Flowertopia_

 _Flowertopia is an island situated in the Pacific Ocean, right between Hawaii and the Mainland United States._

 _Boasting a population of 450,000 people, the island was a peaceful paradise, where man and nature lived in complete harmony. No industrial cities or pollutants tarnished the beauty of the island's ecosystem. Possessing vast amounts of fertile land and perfect grazing grounds, Flowertopia was known the world over for its natural fruit spreads, honey, milk, and jams. The jams were, and still are, considered some of the best when it comes to holiday gatherings. Despite this, the islanders also catered to tourists, creating a booming tourist industry and allowing people a chance to experience living life off the grid for a few weeks at a time._

 _The island was founded some five hundred years ago, becoming a safe haven for people who sought to escape the grueling work of hunting down Grimm and killing them. These people often had ideals of peace and harmony that most considered ridiculous at the time, but they were determined to make it work. So by spreading out across the world, they created smaller settlements, but the biggest would turn out to be Flowertopia, so named because of all the natural flowers that dotted the landscape. The founders of the island wished to preserve this wonder of nature, and so decreed that no modern society taints were to set foot on the shores of Flowertopia unless they wished to spend some time away from the harshness of the world._

 _People at the time thought it to be stupid and actually ostracized the people who lived on the island, calling them fools and traitors to their homelands, etc. Some even called them witches, leading to some prosecutions of the inhabitants who came to visit family and friends._

 _This lasted for several centuries, but despite all the negativity they faced, the Flowertopians managed to thrive and prosper, only reconnecting with the outside world in the mid-twentieth century. The United Nations, having heard of this peaceful and rather prosperous society, declared it to be a protected site and even made it a UNESCO world heritage site in hopes of preserving the beauty of the land, as well as making sure no military forces set foot on the island. After learning they had been recognized by the UN as a heritage site, the government of Flowertopia and the UN signed an agreement, stating that the islanders would be left in peace as long as they assisted in some way against the Grimm. To this end, the people of the island took to using their abundant resources to craft handmade jams and other goodies for spreading joy and cheer during holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas._

 _The industry also led to many tourists coming to see how the succulent jams were created, and thus a booming industry started, and many companies have sought to learn how the jams were made naturally so as to replicate the process on their own. Flowertopian government officials declined the inquiries, but as of recently, those survivors abroad have given permission to work with those companies to keep the now endangered process for crafting the jams around._

 _One stipulation the government of Flowertopia had with the rest of the world was that there were to be no Huntsmen or Huntresses with weapons permitted on the island, in keeping with their peaceful, pacifist nature._

 _Most Grimm tended to avoid the island due to the amount of overwhelming love and positive emotional energy coming from it. But as of recently, there have been signs of Grimm lurking on the island, which was devastated in a massive Grimm attack several years before._

 _It is unknown as to whether or not the original survivors will be able to return to their island for centuries to come._

 _No further information is available at the time._

 _Close File_

* * *

"What is it about peaceful places that draw people to them? Is it because of the possibility of no war, no crime, and equality for all? Well, hate to break it to you, but the real world doesn't work that way. Many people can attempt, but in the end sometimes they fail, or even if they get close, it will never be truly peaceful. Maybe that's why so many writers try to create a utopic universe," TOM lectured as he closed the Flowertopia file. "But there is a downside to that. If no one has a means to defend themselves, how can they say their city or country is safe from harm? Think about that next time you try to create a universe. Do you want them to be able to fight back intruders to defend their homes? Or will you have them suffer the consequences of nothing but a peaceful lifestyle? As someone once said, a future grasped with bloodstained hands is worth fighting for." He leaned back and tapped a button on his chair's armrest.

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The scene shows a sinister eye with a slit for the pupil before it pans to the side to show two catlike eyes in its place_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure's eyes flash as a dark glow encompasses the screen, horrific images appearing along the edges of the screen_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ )

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large Ursa Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing the woman with the sword standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _She thrusts her sword forward and slashes with it, generating a fiery shockwave that explodes against the closest Grimm, thick smoke covering the screen before it fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it comes upon an island shrouded in shadow and ruin_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _Snow is falling on this island, engulfing the remains of battle in a thick layer of white like so many ghosts of the past long forgotten_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The island remains are shown from a distance as a cloaked figure in a white cape and hood stands atop a cliff_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The figure leaps off, throwing open its cape before a wave of blue energy streaks out from the sword on its left arm_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The wave explodes against a Grimm and the figure lands, running into the mist before vanishing like a ghost_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The mist parts as the woman wielding the shotgun aims it and pulls the trigger, sending shells right for the mechanical-organic forms of Spindle Grimm as they scuttle along the ground_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The Spindles skitter left and right to avoid as she steps back into the mist and vanishes_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The mist is blown aside as the man with the broadsword attacks, unleashing a wave of razor air right for the Spindles as they come out of the darkness of the night_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The Spindles are destroyed and turn into smoke as he whips around, his Aura seething a light purple in color as he charges_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the camera pans to the left, showing the woman with her hammer thrusting it at one of the Beetle Destroyer Grimm attacking her_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _She is surrounded, but then she draws back her hammer and slams it into the ground, knocking them back and destroying them as the smoke fades, showing the ruins from before_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc I: Arrival**

* * *

Arriving in San Diego was a relief to me.

That meant no more dealing with heroes like Major Glory (The guy still makes my circuits crawl.)

I shuddered a bit, my armor rattling against my frame.

Tina said nothing as we made our way down to the docks where the ships were located. The docks of San Diego were divided up into two sectors: the military sector and the civilian sector. Our ship was departing from the civilian sector. We arrived at the ship and after passing through security (which thankfully _didn't_ involve a poking around my innards), we got on board the ship and found our stateroom.

The ship we were on turned out to be a research vessel heading in the direction of Flowertopia anyway, in hopes of the original investigation team being there. But the fact that they hadn't shown up didn't discourage them from returning in hopes of that. I had to admire their dedication to the original team. It made me wonder if they had been comrades before turning to research.

Anyway, we finally made ourselves at home in our stateroom, and I had to admit that this was kind of awkward, sharing a room with Tina as of recently. For some reason, being around her was making me feel twitchy and rather uncomfortable, especially after she cornered me and hugged me before we left the city. As a way of saying thank you for sticking by her this whole time.

I was kind of surprised and embarrassed as well by the hug, but I forced it from my processor for the trip to the island. The trip lasted a total of three days, and well, during those three days, there was a very... unexpected... surprise, that happened. But more on that later.

We finally arrived at Flowertopia's port city of Goldenrod City around evening on the third day. And boy, were we in for a surprise.

The day started out like always, with me waking up from recharge and Tina stirring in bed. Except this time, well... we were sleeping in the same bed together after last night. Anyway, we got out of bed and proceeded to gather up our supplies and weapons. I finished attaching my shield to my left arm and looked back as Tina sheathed her rapier before finishing up packing her remaining clothes into her suitcase.

The captain called us to the bridge at that moment, and we made our way there, passing by the crew and scientists manning the ship's many stations. A few waved to us, but for the most part they went about their duties, much like a Hunter or Huntress did when engaging the Grimm. I figured that maybe they weren't so different from us warriors, after all. We finally reached the bridge just as the research ship was pulling into port.

"Uh... why haven't you gotten any calls?" Tina asked, a little rusty on port protocol.

"Because we can't get any," the captain, a rabbit Faunus named Huckabee Winslow, muttered. "And for good reason."

As the ship drew closer, it soon became clear as to _why_ they hadn't gotten any calls.

Tina's mouth fell open and my optics flashed in shock as a gasp escaped her throat and my vocalizer.

The entire port city was in ruins.

The buildings that once graced the skyline of the island on many postcards was now a total warzone. Damaged buildings stood against all odds, and several of them had collapsed into rubble, while some looked like they were overgrown with nature. But not the green kind. Instead, dark vines snaked through and into the many holes and windows, adding to the mood of an apocalyptic wasteland. The streets were cratered and several dozen carriages were in piles of wood and fabric. Scorch marks from fire indicated that half the city had burned to the ground, while the rest still stood despite the odds. The docks were gone and several ships lay rotting at their piers.

It was a total wasteland there. Nothing could've possibly lived there.

Except Grimm.

My optics dimmed a shade as I hissed through my vents. "Place looks like a warzone..." I muttered.

Tina was in shock, her hands covering her mouth as her eyes roved over the ruined city. "What...happened here...?" she rasped.

Huckabee narrowed his eyes. "We're still unsure as to why, but we do know one thing: Grimm came ashore here and turned this place into a wasteland. The battle was not a battle. It was a _massacre_."

The way he said the word made me gulp. I felt my armor rattle against my frame as I shuddered unwillingly. "H...How bad?" I rasped.

"..." Huckabee was silent as he looked down, and I began to get a bad feeling in my lower torso. "All I can say... is that it was a massacre. Nothing... and I mean _nothing_ survived..."

That was all he was saying on the matter.

The ship pulled up to one of the damaged docks, and my optics flicked over the remains of what few ships lingered there. I wasn't sure why, but I was getting the weirdest feeling like we weren't alone there. Well, at the moment, it was just a minor feeling. But once we docked and the ramp was lowered, we headed down onto shore once more. And it was then that the feeling was more pronounced. Even today I can't explain what it was, but it felt like a twinge resonated in my processor before it was gone.

Tina and I said goodbye to Captain Winslow and started to make our way towards the center of the city where the base camp had initially been set up. As we wandered, I could hear the ship pulling away, intent on heading out to sea to avoid the Grimm lurking here, meaning we were truly on our own. The thought of being left alone here was not appealing, but then again, what else could we do?

It also didn't help that everyone here had been slaughtered by the Grimm.

That much fear, panic, anger, and fury would be enough to keep the Grimm lurking here for years to come.

Tina's rapier was in her hand in a flash as I gripped my beam magnum and held it at the ready across my chest. This was not going to be a pleasant stay on Flowertopia, that was for sure.

The two of us finally came to the base camp located in the city square. And man... was it a mess.

The tents that had been erected three years ago were rotting and tattered. A few still stood, but were in bad shape. The equipment was rusting and decaying into nothing but scraps. Clothing and weaponry was left abandoned and what Dust supplies remained were still locked up tight in their vaults. Papers and cameras lay scattered around, and laptop computers were destroyed by whatever had attacked this place.

"My Glob..." Tina whispered.

I was stunned. I slowly crept forward, my optics flashing briefly in my horror.

Despite the destruction, it was nothing compared to the bodies that lay around the place. Most of them inhabitants of the former island paradise.

All of them were skeletons by this point, and they looked as if they had been either mauled or something of that nature.

That was enough to make me sick to my nonexistent stomach. I felt a twinge in my lower torso and I gripped it with my right hand, collapsing to my knees as I doubled over, a gagging sound escaping my vocalizer. I landed on my hands and knees, my frame shaking as I dry heaved, trying to expel something that wasn't even there. In some ways, being a Gundam was also a curse. I couldn't throw up, which was both good and bad. Bad in that it wasn't removing a surprisingly bitter feeling... taste?... in the back of my throat.

I heaved a few more times before I finally managed to expel _something_ , or more like a glop of oil from a minor leak in one of my fuel lines. It wasn't much, but it did make me feel better somehow. The new nanites in my frame went to work on repairing the minor leak (Sebben had also given me a batch of nanites to repair any minor internal damages, which was a relief.), so I was good to go after a few seconds.

Tina was by my side in a flash. "Joseph!" She knelt beside me and placed a hand on my shoulder guard. "You okay?"

I nodded, panting. "Yeah... I'm fine..." I rasped.

I slowly staggered to my feet, feeling the sense of nausea fading from my frame. I looked at the glop of oil on the ground, and then rubbed at my faceplate with a hand. I felt a small dripping from the two slats and I reached for my cloak, pulling it around and wiping my faceplate clean.

Once that was done, I turned and with a blast of air through the slats of my faceplate, I expelled the last of any oil that remained there. A few extra drops splattered on the ground. "Man... That was not fun..." I muttered.

"I... I didn't expect you to do that..." Tina said as she looked at the glop of blackness.

"I know. I wasn't either," I admitted as I looked around the abandoned and devastated square. "But seriously... This is not good..." I crept over to one of the skeletons and knelt close to it, studying it intently. I grasped the closest bone, a femur, and pulled it loose from the pile, sending other bones clattering to the ground. I held the bone up close to my optics, and had I been human, they would've widened in shock and horror at the indentations of human teeth on the surface. I slowly turned to face Tina.

"I...I think we may have an idea of what happened here..." I whispered, holding up the bone in a shaking hand.

Tina's eyes widened in shock and disgust, horror flooding her features as she clasped her hands over her mouth. "Oh... Glob...!" she whispered, her eyes starting to prick with tears. "They... They didn't...!"

I was silent as my optics flashed grimly. "They did..." I dropped the bone and got to my feet. "And from the looks of things... it was some time ago."

"How long do you think?" Tina asked softly.

I shook my head. "I honestly have no idea," I admitted. "I'm sorry."

"Either way, this place gives me the creeps," she told me. She glanced around at the ruined buildings. "Maybe we can find shelter closer to the base camp, but not exactly in it."

That did seem like a plausible idea, so I agreed with it and we left the abandoned camp.

I had never felt such relief in my entire life. I sighed through my vents as I leaned back against one of the buildings. "My Glob... That's just sick..." I heard Tina whisper from beside me.

I nodded. "Yeah. But... then again, I'm not too surprised, given how badly this place was devastated," I remarked.

"So...what's the plan now?" she asked me.

I looked around the street we were on. It was close to the square, but not so close we could see the cannibalized remains. A few buildings remained intact, and one of them looked as if it still stood whole. Well, maybe not entirely whole, but the majority of it was still intact. I studied it briefly before I nodded. "There." I pointed to it. "We can use that building as our own base camp."

Tina studied it critically for a moment before she looked at me. "You sure?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I am." I lowered my hand. "Now c'mon. I don't wanna be out at night with the Grimm around here."

We both made our way towards the building and into the ruined lobby. I had to admit, despite the growth starting to creep up, and with the windows shattered, it still retained a sort of elegant air about it. I chalked it up to having been not a five star hotel, but a seven star resort for Flowertopian standards. Regardless, we made our way to the center and took a look around.

The interior was a complete mess.

The couches and chairs that once dotted the lobby's sides were all rotted or decaying in front of us while the planters were either shattered or overgrown with weeds or brush. Bird droppings and dead rats littered the floor, and what few painting hung on the walls were faded or peeling. The cracks in the walls were minor, but were sure to grow the longer the place remained abandoned. A few skeletons littered the floor here, too. The check-in desk was a mess as well, shattered into splinters and some larger pieces while papers coated the floor like artificial snow.

I turned my gaze to the once-grand staircase, now nothing more than a littered shadow of its former self. I could see a skeleton clinging to the banister in a death grip, and I began to wonder if there was any place that was free of those things. Tina's nudging on my back caught my attention and she pointed. "C'mon. Let's see what we can find upstairs."

I nodded. "Right."

We began to walk up the stairs, with Tina in front and me in the rear. I swept my magnum around while Tina's rapier was held at the ready, an ice Dust vial in the chamber. The whole area was deathly quiet, save for the wind blowing through the devastated building. I slowly turned my head as we reached the second floor, taking note of all the damage and destruction inside. I had to admit, it reminded me of some of the more recent attacks on cities that didn't have up-to-date defenses. I supposed it was just luck I had made Denver my home at this point.

Still, the place was eerie as we began to head deeper into the hotel. The rooms we first looked in were a mess, some of them missing parts of the walls and/or windows. One room looked like it had ben decimated from the inside out, and I wondered, with a sickening feeling in my lower torso, if the residents here had cannibalized each other or worse. It made me shudder and I almost felt that nausea surge through me, but I brushed it aside and forced the feeling down. I could feel sick later. Right now we needed to start exploring and gathering data.

We decided to split up, with me going one way and her another way. Now, this was a risky option because we had no idea as to what kind of Grimm lived here on the island now. But we had no other choice in the matter.

So I gripped my magnum and ventured up another flight of stairs, my optics peeled for any sign of enemies.

The third floor was just as bad as the second, if not a little worse. Already some grasses were starting to grow through the tiled floors, and the weeds softened my footsteps - at least enough to allow me to creep around somewhat quietly. I swept my gaze around the area, grasping the door handle to one of the rooms and slowly inched it open enough to peek inside.

Only ruin greeted my optics. Well, and a skeleton lying on the bed, as if the person had spent their last moments in either agony or depression. I dimmed my optics a shade as I inched into the room, unsure if there was a Geist in the area or not. Those Grimm tended to possess dead things or inanimate objects to create golem-like bodies, a sight that still sent shivers down my back struts. But there was nothing, and my radar didn't pick up the field of energy that signified a Geist's presence. Still, I was wary nonetheless.

I approached the skeleton and reached out with my magnum, nudging it with the barrel.

No movement.

I let out a small sigh before I backed away, but not before I bowed my head and said a small prayer in respect for the deceased. I made a cross gesture with my finger in front of my reactor before I turned and left the room, closing the door behind me.

To be honest, I was shocked that this was still even happening. That this _had_ happened, actually. I had heard of Flowertopia, and had wanted to see it some time after my high school graduation, but this... I hadn't expected to come here, as a Hunter, as a Gundam, on a mission to try and figure out why the place had been attacked by Grimm when it was supposed to be the safest place on Earth.

I forced those thoughts aside though as I resumed my exploration.

Only for my radar to blare in my head. My head jerked up as I heard the mental beeping and I whirled around, my magnum aiming down the hallway of the hotel, right into the darkness that was starting to encroach as the last rays of the sun's light dipped below the horizon. I held a finger on the trigger, giving just the barest amount of pressure to build up the signature hum. But nothing was present.

At least visually. That didn't mean something wasn't there.

Swallowing that lump forming in my throat, I began to creep down the hallway, my helm-mounted lights flicking on. I sure wished I retained my shoulder-mounted lights, but the weight of the missile pods on my shoulders was enough to give me some reassurance, although it didn't make me feel much better, to be honest. Regardless, I kept my gun aimed into the darkness and I swept my lights around, turning my head left and right slowly to give myself a better view of the interior.

The tile flooring was in bad shape, as were the walls and doors. Well, that was a given, but still it was worth noting. The doorways were either swollen shut with mold or were starting to crumble and rot. Termites were everywhere, and I had to avoid stepping on a bloated bird corpse as it lay in the middle of the hall. This was not good, and it showed. There was no real plumbing here, but what pipes did exist were exposed, and I had to wonder if they even carried water around. Well, they had to if the Flowertopians catered to tourists from time to time, but it was still an uncertainty.

Regardless, I crept down that hallway, my magnum held at the ready.

I knew something was here. My radar was telling me that much. But as to _what_ it was... or even where it exactly _was_... was beyond my current capabilities at the moment.

As I inched past a suit of armor, I didn't even notice the pair of eyes watching me from within the visor.

At least until I got that feeling again. A niggling... followed by a twinge within my processor. I whipped around, my gun aiming at the suit of armor. I was kind of surprised that I was aiming at a suit of armor, and I began to wonder if my radar was having a malfunction. But a quick self-diagnostic proved that wasn't the case. And yet...

That same twinge again. I jerked as I felt it, much stronger than before. I slowly inched closer to the suit of armor, my magnum about to poke it in the side.

What I did _not_ expect was to see the suit of armor suddenly come to life, leaping off the pedestal it was on, drawing out a sword and holding its mace at the ready. At once I spotted the familiar glowing red eyes, and I tensed. I hissed through my vents as I realized what this was. "A Geist!" I growled. "Shoulda known!"

The Geist lunged for me, but I moved to the side, my free hand flying out in a fist and connecting with the suit's chest plate. A dent appeared in its armor and it retreated, fingering the dent before it looked at me and those red eyes flashed. I stood poised to attack in response. My optics flashed violet as I waited for it to move. Within seconds the Grimm possessed armor came towards me, its mace drawn back for a blow to my helm. I reacted by bringing my shield up and blocking it, feeling my arm shaking from the impact. I knew from the force of the impact that my shield was dented, but that mattered little to me as I knew it could take a pounding.

Anyway, I found myself straining briefly against this thing before I lashed out with my foot in a roundhouse kick, delivering a blow to its lower torso armor, forcing it back and giving myself some time to retreat to a safer distance. I held my magnum at the ready and pulled the trigger, releasing a beam shot shortly after. The beam shot struck the right arm, burning through the metal as well as causing part of the stone wall to hiss and turn a fiery red color. I hadn't even really noticed how powerful my beam magnum was until now, so it surprised me.

Either way, I had managed to inflict a nasty injury to the Geist's armored body. The thing paused and looked at its severed arm before it glanced back at me and charged, swinging its sword right for my neck. I ducked the blow, my optics flashing as I shoved my magnum forward, the beam jutte igniting and emerging from one of the launcher barrels, the blade penetrating through the visor and striking the Geist. The Grimm howled before it dissipated from my blow, leaving behind just a suit of armor. I stood up and pulled my magnum back, shutting down the short beam saber and looking at the armor as it clattered to the floor of the hotel.

"Man... Didn't expect that," I muttered as I held my gun at the ready again, inching my way down the hallway.

I slowly approached another room, although the door was swollen shut from the moisture here. I hesitated, but then I charged at the door, slamming my shoulder into it and causing it to splinter. The impact was enough to shatter the door and I landed in the room on one knee, my beam magnum aimed at the interior. I swept it around, peering through the sight before I realized I was alone. I stood up, lowering my weapon.

Nothing was present.

And yet...

That feeling of being watched wasn't leaving me.

I expanded my radar to its full capacity, and I nearly jolted in surprise when I realized I was right on top of the spot of the unknown's location. I looked around the room, but there was nothing inside. Just a destroyed mattress and a skeleton slumped in a corner, rotting flesh and clothing littering the floor. I grimaced to myself in my thoughts as I backed up, my wings flaring a little on instinct (I wasn't sure why though.) as I made my way out of the room.

Only for my foot to trip over something.

I cried out as I tried to retain my balance, but I wasn't successful and I landed on my back, the wind knocked from my intakes. I grunted as I flipped over onto my chest and glanced back over my shoulder.

I gasped in shock at the figure lying on the floor of the hotel.

Immediately I scrambled onto my knees, crouching on the balls of my metal feet as I replaced my magnum on my flight pack. My hands flew for the figure and I slowly turned him(it?)(her?) over. But I was mostly stunned at the injury on the figure's right arm. The majority of it was missing below the elbow, and a puddle of blood oozed from it, staining the floor red. I reacted at once, running back into the room to grab some old sheets to use as bandages. I tore them up and ran back out, kneeling down by the figure.

Now that I could see it, the figure was definitely a male, as the build indicated. Compared to my frame, he looked a lot like a runner, if not with slightly more muscle mass. His armor was mostly white, with gold accents on the feet and helm. He possessed a strange symbol in the middle of his chest, looking like a sun of some kind or...whatever it was. It was hard to describe. The newcomer also wore a white cape with a red interior, and the most shocking thing was that his entire left forearm resembled some kind of...dino head or something. I wasn't sure if this guy was a new Hunter or what, but whatever he was, he was injured and needed help.

So I went to work on bandaging his wound.

The only downside was that I had no idea how he'd react, or anything, let alone if he was hostile towards others.

Still, it was best to help.

The bandaging took only a few minutes, and once he was healed, I fell back onto my butt.

Now I just needed to get him someplace safe.

And quickly, too.

I sat there for a few minutes more, trying to collect myself. I finally got to my feet and slipped my arms under the newcomer's body, lifting him into my grasp, elevating his arm so it wouldn't bleed anymore than it already was.

And at once I could see how big he was. At least in height. He was about perhaps six foot five, three inches taller than me, and he was well muscled. His muscles felt firm and well-toned from what I could feel. Then again, given how he was a warrior, it made sense. Regardless, I finally began to make my way to the staircase, trying to keep him from losing any more blood, which was harder than it seemed.

I finally came to the staircase leading down to the second floor, only to pause as I studied it. As it stood, the stairwell was too narrow for my wings to spread, so I couldn't exactly fly downstairs, and I was also wary of slipping on the blood coming through the stained sheets tied around the stump of his arm. I looked around, trying to wrack my processors for a plan of some kind, but nothing was present or came to me.

Thankfully I didn't have to wait long.

Tina's voice reached up to me from the second floor. "Joseph! Hey, Joseph!" she called.

I perked up at her voice and called back to her. "Hey! I'm up here!" I yelled.

Her footsteps resounded as she came hurrying up the staircase, only to come around the corner onto the landing not even a minute later. Her eyes widened in shock as she came to a stop, taking in the sight of me carrying a wounded warrior in my arms, blood splattering my cloak and armor plating. "Sweet Glob...!" she whispered. "What... What did you _do?!_ "

"Hey! Before you accuse me of anything, I found him like this!" I shot back as she came up the stairs. "I didn't do anything like this!"

"Yeah? Then show me your sword!" Tina snapped as she proceeded to take the warrior and help him stand on the other side. I kept my grasp on his wounded right arm, and together we took him into one of the rooms close by.

Once we had him resting on the old bed, I grasped the hilt of my sword and drew it out before handing it off to Tina. She examined it, even scraping her finger along the edge of the blade, as if that would remove any specks of blood. Thankfully there was nothing, which confirmed my story to her. She sighed and handed my Hyper Beam Sword back. "Sorry," she murmured. "It's just that..."

I nodded. "I know. But seriously. Does that wound look like something I would cause?" I pointed at the warrior's arm, and now that she thought about it, it didn't. I mean, my sword could cut through things easily, but from what I had seen, it looked like his arm was _bitten_ off, and I told Tina as much.

She looked at me like I was nuts before she rubbed her head with her fingertips. "Okay, I will admit that does seem plausible. But... don't you find it a bit odd that this guy is even here?"

I shrugged. "We'll have to ask him once he wakes up."

" _If_ he wakes up," Tina corrected me. "That wound looks nasty, and I'm guessing he's lost a good amount of blood from the looks of things."

I turned to look back at the unconscious warrior, and I realized she was right. My sensors were detecting a faint pulse, but it was weak. Regardless, we had to keep an eye on him.

We both elected to watch him through the night, with Tina taking first watch. I dozed off for a few hours, only to be woken by Tina who reported no changes in the warrior's condition. I nodded and took over for her. This kept up for the first few days and nights, usually with me or Tina staying behind and changing the bandages on his wound while the other went out to do the investigation during the day.

And it was on the fourth day of our stay that our... guest, so to speak... finally woke up.

* * *

I was the one who happened to be stuck behind that day. I was going over the notes I had taken during my time investigating Flowertopia's destruction, my cloak wrapped around my frame and the hood up as it was a little chilly that particular rainy day, using a small candle cluster we had salvaged from one of the rooms for light. I didn't really need it because of how keen my optics were, but I still used it anyway as it did help drive away some of the cold.

The notes were pretty condensed, but they did cover a lot of what I had uncovered.

 _Notes on Flowertopia Attack_

 _1 - Grimm attacked three years ago, came ashore at Goldenrod City port  
2 - Left behind ruins, unknown if any of previous inhabitants survived  
3 - Survivors turned to cannibalism to sustain themselves  
4 - Grimm taking up residence here in aftermath of attack  
5 - Some bodies look to be torn in half or half-eaten, leaving only chunks of bone or rotted flesh behind  
6 - Cities and ports first attacked, villages left alone for future attacks  
7 - Government first thing attacked  
8 - Land left in terrible shape due to Grimm scorching it  
9 - Destruction of Flowertopian culture utter and complete, save for holdouts on mainland countries_

I studied them for a few minutes more, going over what I knew, only to perk up as I heard something soft from behind me.

At first I wasn't sure as to what it was, but then it came again, this time somewhat louder than before. I turned in my seat, only to flash my optics in surprise as the warrior on the bed began to stir, a slight groan coming from him. I set the notebook down and closed it before I got to my feet and slowly made my way over to the wounded warrior, trying not to spook him.

Blue eyes opened slowly, and I gaped in shock at the depths from which both wisdom and innocence came in equal measure. I realized I was staring a moment later and shook my helm, forcing myself to focus.

The warrior's helmeted head turned left and right, taking in his surroundings, I figured. He seemed to be confused, if his questioning hum was any indication. He slowly groaned and made an attempt to push himself into a sitting position, but I was there before he could even move. I placed a metallic hand on his shoulder, gently but firmly keeping him on the bed.

"Take it easy," I said gently. "You're still hurt."

The warrior looked at me in confusion, and boy, was I glad to have my cloak's hood up. "Wh...Where... Where am I?" he asked, his voice rich and deep, but lacking the metallic edge mine had.

"You're in a hotel room," I replied. "And for that matter, you still need to rest. You're missing your entire lower right arm."

The warrior glanced at his arm and shook it, as if trying to feel or move what wasn't there. "Not surprising," he remarked. "Given what I had to do to get away from that thing..."

I was confused, but I brushed it aside as I had other things to worry about. I looked at him as he finally got into a sitting position - with my help, of course.

He finally turned those blue eyes to me and looked directly into my partially concealed optics. "And who might you be?" he asked.

I paused, feeling my reactor leap into my throat and I gulped. There was no way I could just outright tell this guy who I was, given the need for secrecy. So I decided to go with my newly acquired nickname. "I'm Dracon," I said, getting a chill down my back struts at the way it sounded. Even now I was still not used to it.

The warrior cocked his head to the side a bit, and I had to admit, it was kind of awkward. ' _Okay... Now I know how weird that looks..._ ' I thought to myself. I brushed it aside though and turned back to the matter at hand. "Dracon?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes. Is that a problem?" I asked.

"No. I'm sorry. It's just... I've never heard of anyone named Dracon before," the white-caped warrior admitted. "Then again, never really expected to encounter such a creature..."

"What kind?" I asked, beginning to get an idea of what had attacked him.

The warrior looked down at his severed arm, as if deep in thought. "It... looked a lot like a wolf... but was black in color and wore some kind of white mask... and its eyes were blood red. I think it was a Beowolf," he told me.

My optics flashed in response to the description. "I see..." I muttered. "Actually, I'm kind of surprised such a Grimm lives here, given how isolated this place is from the mainland United States."

My companion merely looked away, humming thoughtfully. "So they aren't native to this island..." he mused.

"Grimm aren't native to this place, period," I retorted. "Especially seeing as how this place was once a peaceful paradise."

"Doesn't seem like it to me," the warrior remarked. "Given how many I've seen since coming here."

I hummed a bit as I crossed my arms across my chest. "That's odd... My friend and I haven't seen any Grimm since we arrived here. Well, apart from a Geist, that is."

"Geist?" The warrior cocked his head in confusion. "What kind of Grimm is that?"

"A Grimm that possesses objects to control them and use them as its body," I explained. "It's kind of hard to explain, but once you spot a Geist, you gotta kill it before it possesses a dangerous object or forms a golem of some kind."

The warrior nodded, taking in the information before he looked me up and down. I wondered what he was thinking, because I mean I was currently wrapped up entirely in my cloak, except for my optics which were partially concealed by the hood.

"Is there a reason for the cloak?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. It's kind of cold in here." The thing was, it wasn't so much a lie as it was a half-truth. But he seemed to buy it and nodded.

"So, what's your name?" I inquired. "I mean, you know my name, so..." I shrugged.

The warrior paused, looking down at the blanket covering his body before he sighed. "All right. My name is Rik." He turned his head and his blue eyes met my violet optics.

"Nice to meet you," I said, holding out a covered hand. But he didn't even bother. He merely nodded in response. Seeing I wasn't going to get a handshake, I pulled my hand back and made my way back to the desk where I sat down and reopened the notebook.

I proceeded to start viewing the notes again, going over them as I tried to piece together what little we knew... and that wasn't much, mind you. In fact, it was practically nothing. I frowned to myself in my thoughts as I skimmed the notes I had taken down. I finally set the notebook down and tapped a metal finger against the desk, my optics locked onto the page.

' _What exactly are we supposed to be looking for?_ ' I thought.

Truthfully, this whole thing was starting to remind me of Jaxon and his attempts to have us killed by sending us into the Darklands. But at the same time, we had a specific goal: to find anything that detailed the attack on Flowertopia. But so far, there was nothing that we could find, aside from some small slips of paper with last messages on them. And from the cannibalized skeletons.

That was enough to make me shudder against my will again. I felt my armor rattling against my frame as a result.

Rik looked in my direction, a curious look in his blue eyes. I froze, hesitating for a moment before I relaxed, thinking he hadn't heard it. (He had, but I didn't know it at the time.)

"Something wrong?" he asked me.

I almost let out a startled yelp, but I managed to stop myself in time as I turned in my seat, my optics locking onto his face. "No. Nothing's wrong," I said a little too quickly. Rik's eyes narrowed, but he didn't press the issue. Instead, he rolled over onto his side and began to push himself into a sitting position. I was surprised he was even attempting to get up with his wound.

Thankfully he just collapsed back onto the bed, his arm falling across his stomach and his eyes squinted shut in either pain or exhaustion; I guessed it to be the first because he was panting heavily. Although I was concerned for him, I was more or less curious about his... head-hands. Either they were some kind of gauntlet or held within them some kind of weapons, I had no idea. Regardless, he was in pain and needed to rest, lest he get a fever.

"Dammit..." he muttered. "Never thought that this would be the result of that stunt..."

I inclined my helm a bit, but kept my vocalizer muted.

The door to the room began to creak open at that moment, and I turned on the spot in my seat, my gaze landing on the doorway as Tina stepped in, wearing a tarp as a makeshift raincoat. The material was wet, and she held in her hands some bandages, no doubt pilfered from one of the ships in the harbor. "I'm back," she said, closing the door behind her.

"About time, too," I remarked as I got up from my seat. "Our guest just woke up. Says his name is Rik."

"Rik, huh?" Tina looked at him as he turned his head, his blue eyes meeting her own blue orbs. "Nice to see you're awake."

"How long was I out for?" Rik asked her.

"Four days," she explained as she made her way back over to his bed, tossing aside her 'raincoat' and gesturing for him to hold out his wounded arm. "If it wasn't for my companion here, you'd've bled to death."

"Hardly," Rik retorted. "I've been in worse situations."

"Never lost an arm before, have you?" Tina asked as she slapped his injury, earning a surprised yelp from him in response. "That kind of injury is not one to laugh at!"

Rik merely grunted as he let her get to work on changing his bandages.

"By the way, I'm Tina Hendricks," she said, introducing herself. "And my companion over there is-"

"Dracon. He already told me his name," Rik interjected, cutting her off.

Tina shot a glance at me, as if to say 'You didn't give him your real name?'

I shrugged.

She sighed and returned her gaze to our guest. "So, Rik. What brings you here?" she asked him.

The armored warrior snorted. "Same as you. Trying to take down the Grimm," he replied. "Isn't that why you're here?"

"Not just that, but also to see what caused the Grimm to attack this place," Tina remarked. "Because, despite its ruined appearance, this island was once one of the safest places on the planet to avoid the Grimm. But now..." She sighed and swept an arm around the devastated hotel room. "As you can see, it's far from the paradise it once was."

Rik merely scowled (it was hard to tell because his face was completely covered by that helm of his) at the words. I could tell he didn't believe us though, if his eyes narrowing were any indication. "I already told Dracon that I doubt it highly," he replied, no doubt feeling irritation at having to repeat himself.

Tina sighed as she ran a hand down her features. "Well, we'll just leave it at that then," she muttered.

* * *

Of course, the next few days were bound to be rather interesting, considering how we had a wounded warrior we knew little about in our midst, and actually, now that I thought about it, it had actually been wise of me to keep my real name a secret, though I couldn't say the same for Tina at the moment. And that was worrisome to me. I decided to keep an eye on Rik and find out just what he was capable of, and if we could even trust the guy.

The memory file of Rachel mentioning the Grimm Slayer came to the forefront of my processor, and I hummed to myself as I pondered the information. I mean, given what little I knew of the Grimm Slayer - and that wasn't much, mind you - there was no way that Rik could be the Grimm Slayer. Sure he wore a white cape and armor with some black on it, but it wasn't robes, and he lacked a scythe. And truthfully, I had no idea if he even had an Aura or Semblance. My sensors just couldn't detect it.

So I focused on trying to gather more information about why he was there, and he only told me that he was on the hunt for Grimm... as well as looking for an old friend of his. That much I found out when I asked if he had any friends in the area. But he wouldn't say who it was. Instead, he kept it to himself, which made me wonder if he was a loner. There were some Hunters and Huntresses who worked solo, often becoming quite powerful as a result. Those guys were the top of the hierarchy, Class V Hunters: the Elites.

And as much as I hated to admit it, I was still stuck as a class III Hunter, along with my friends.

Regardless, when I questioned him about his ranking, he only kept silent. I didn't bother him about it after that.

By the second week we were there, Rik had already recovered sufficiently to be able to move on his own, although he kept his wounded arm hidden by his cape, something that reminded me of how I kept my cloak sometimes. He offered to help us figure this out after we discussed it with him, and even showed him evidence of how it used to be before the attack three years ago. He was impressed by the sheer beauty of it all, and he even said it reminded him of home - wherever that was.

So after we finished setting up our base camp in the hotel on the third floor, we began to explore more. And with three of us around, this time we were bound to find something that could be of use.

Or so I hoped.

The apartments closest to the hotel were damaged, and half of them had either collapsed or burned to the ground, leaving behind just remains and shells of the homes they once were. I was the one to go check it out with Rik. Tina was going to examine the square a bit more to see if she could find anything that detailed the Grimm attack more effectively, like an old camera from a tourist or something. (With all those bones, it was hard to distinguish tourists from inhabitants.)

And to be honest, I was wary of being paired with Rik. Some part of me wished he had been partnered with Tina, because then she could keep an eye on him and have her lightning Dust at the ready. But this time, I got stuck with him. As we walked, my optics landed on his cape as he was walking in front of me, and my optics flashed a bit in surprise at the emblem on the back of it.

It was sort of golden in color, with a strange symbol in the middle of it, and going down the symbol was what appeared to be a grey tear, which made me wonder if he needed his cape sown. But the more closely I looked at it, the more it seemed like it was not a tear, but a _mark_ , as if to give an impression of something. I had no idea as to what it was, but for some reason I was getting the feeling like I shouldn't tangle with this guy.

Especially as I had no idea if he had any weapons on his person or not.

My optics dimmed a shade as I hummed to myself and thought. ' _That symbol... wonder what it means,_ ' I mused to myself.

I had no idea that sooner or later we'd be facing down not just Grimm, but another threat as well on this island.

And it was watching us, even if we didn't know it at the time.

My optics flicked left and right as I gripped my magnum in my hands and Rik's blue eyes narrowed.

"We're not alone," he said suddenly, catching me off guard.

"Huh?" I jerked my helm to look at him. "Whaddya mean?" I demanded. "Are you saying we're surrounded?"

Rik shook his head. "No. I'm just saying we're not alone."

I growled to myself as I expanded my radar and sensors to their full capacity.

And boy... was he right. We definitely weren't alone on the island with Grimm.

There were survivors here.

And they were _wild_.

* * *

 **Name: Rik**

 **Aura: ?**

 **Semblance: ?**

 **Description: ?**

 **Weapon: ?**

* * *

 **Oh boy, peeps! Here comes another chapter of GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising! And this time things are not looking so good for two of them! Be sure to read and review, my peeps~! ;D**

 **Ja ne~!**


	16. Arc I - Aftermath

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: (Tour Guide Information) Geography of Flowertopia_

 _The island of Flowertopia is not only known for its jams and other natural goodies, but also for its geography, possessing several mountains close to the beaches, down which run several clear mountain streams, fed by the mountaintop glaciers and snow. Many people flock to the island to enjoy these wondrous springs for themselves, and to just enjoy bathing in the clear, pure waters. The mountain springs often run from early spring to late fall, and in the winter the island is a hotspot for tourism as skiers tend to flock there to ski down the pristine slopes._

 _This has led to some controversy, but the island's government has allotted space for the skiers to enjoy the slopes and to keep the ecosystem intact. The beaches of Flowertopia are as smooth as silk with white sand and gorgeous scenery with palm trees lining the beaches in several locations. Several dozen resorts constructed by the government line the beaches at key spots, ensuring that the ecosystem is protected and to allow the tourists to get the best views possible. Guided tours are available by appointment._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Ever have a place you wish to see, but can't at the moment? Many people have those kinds of dreams, and they tend to make up something called a bucket list, or a list of places they wish to see or things they wish to do before they die. But can anyone truly accomplish that?" TOM asked as he closed the Tour Guide file. "Take the Hawaiian Islands. Many people wish to see them, but some just can't because of either tight finances or other issues that crop up. In fact, most people may never get to see the islands. It's kind of a letdown, really. Because no one can truly enjoy what they want to do unless they have the resources or finances to see it through. So, if someone were to give you the chance to see a place you've always dreamed of, would you take it? Or would you use it to give someone else a chance to see their dream place?" He leaned back and pressed a button on the arm rest of his chair. "Because that kind of action will show what kind of a person you truly are inside."

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 ** **I **t's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (****** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 ** **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (**** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 ** **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (**** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 ** ** **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (****** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face_ **)**

 ** ** **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (****** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 ** ** **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (****** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 ** ** **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (****** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The scene shows a sinister eye with a slit for the pupil before it pans to the side to show two catlike eyes in its place_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure's eyes flash as a dark glow encompasses the screen, horrific images appearing along the edges of the screen_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ )

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large Ursa Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing the woman with the sword standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _She thrusts her sword forward and slashes with it, generating a fiery shockwave that explodes against the closest Grimm, thick smoke covering the screen before it fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it comes upon an island shrouded in shadow and ruin_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _Snow is falling on this island, engulfing the remains of battle in a thick layer of white like so many ghosts of the past long forgotten_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The island remains are shown from a distance as a cloaked figure in a white cape and hood stands atop a cliff_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The figure leaps off, throwing open its cape before a wave of blue energy streaks out from the sword on its left arm_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The wave explodes against a Grimm and the figure lands, running into the mist before vanishing like a ghost_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The mist parts as the woman wielding the shotgun aims it and pulls the trigger, sending shells right for the mechanical-organic forms of Spindle Grimm as they scuttle along the ground_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The Spindles skitter left and right to avoid as she steps back into the mist and vanishes_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The mist is blown aside as the man with the broadsword attacks, unleashing a wave of razor air right for the Spindles as they come out of the darkness of the night_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The Spindles are destroyed and turn into smoke as he whips around, his Aura seething a light purple in color as he charges_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the camera pans to the left, showing the woman with her hammer thrusting it at one of the Beetle Destroyer Grimm attacking her_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _She is surrounded, but then she draws back her hammer and slams it into the ground, knocking them back and destroying them as the smoke fades, showing the ruins from before_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc I: Aftermath**

* * *

We definitely weren't alone on the island with the Grimm.

There _were_ survivors here.

And they were _wild._

My optics flicked around as the first of the survivors came forward, eyes wide with insanity, blood oozing from his mouth as he gnashed his teeth. His fingernails were more like claws and on them hung strips of flesh, and he only wore tatters of his clothing. His hair was long and wild, matted with grease and his body looked like he had been going without food for some time. I could count every rib on his bony chest and his eyes were gaunt and sunken into his face.

I was shocked.

"Holy...!" I muttered.

Beside me, Rik's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Hmm..."

The man lunged for us, and I reacted by leaping to the side, only to see Rik was in the line of his attack. I whirled and prepared to charge the man, but I eventually learned I didn't even need to worry about him.

The white-clad warrior simply sidestepped the man, but the way he did it was so fluid and so rapid, it seemed like he was more of a ghost than a living being. That sent shivers down my back struts and I gulped nervously.

He glanced at the starving man and I recognized pity in those blue eyes. Pity for his sorry state. "Surely there must be a way to get them some help?" he asked.

"Not likely in this situation!" I remarked as several more starving and raving mad survivors attacked, using their long fingernails and teeth to start clawing and gashing at whatever they saw, including their own. I felt sick to my nonexistent stomach at this point when I saw one of the women start gnawing at the arm of a fellow survivor, only to be clubbed with a stick as a result.

The man resumed his attack as he lunged for Rik, but like before he sidestepped so fluidly it sent shiver down my back struts. Except this time he lashed out with his good 'hand' and slugged the man in the chest, knocking him back a good five feet before he retreated to get some breathing room. Not that we needed any since we were completely ignored for the most part.

I had to sidestep a raving man as he bit into a child's throat and I whirled, my fist lashing out on instinct and slugging the man with enough force to break his neck. The crack of his spine was enough to catch the attention of a few survivors and they turned to look at me. At once I paused, feeling a sense of stupidity creeping up on me. I instantly regretted just lashing out like that.

And boy, did I ever. The survivors suddenly lunged for me as one, and I was forced to react defensively, throwing my cloak off my shield and holding it in front of me as the mob attempted to claw and bite their way into my armor in an attempt to find flesh or muscle to eat. But thankfully my armor was too strong for them to get through. Instead, I only sustained scratches to my armor. I wasn't too keen on this, and actually I was starting to regret having even accepted this assignment. The sheer number of wild survivors was enough to force me to back off, or at least leap back a good fifty feet.

Rik was already moving as well, leaping back to join me and we both stood a good distance away from the frenzied mob as they tore into one another. Several dozen were falling back, carrying what looked like their prey in their hands and mouths like animals. Some of them were even starting to use the bones they carried as primitive clubs. And now that I thought about it, half of those fleeing seemed to be equipped with spears and axes made of stone. I turned away from the gory scene and whirled on the spot, walking away from it all.

I muted my audio receptors so as to not hear the growling, snarling, or hissing of the animal-like humans. Some small part of me actually felt...disgusted...at what humans were capable of. And another part of me felt... I still don't know how to describe it, but that small part of me seemed to feel a sense of being superior to those weaklings that feasted upon their kin. At first I thought it was my Gundam half that felt that way, but I later learned that it was actually _me_ that felt that way. (In a sense, I guess it is true that I am superior to normal humans because not only do I not need to eat, but I can take a pounding, I'm stronger, faster, and well equipped with an entire arsenal of weapons and a variety of sensors. I don't need to sleep in the traditional sense, and I don't get sick or have to use the bathroom.)

But at the same time I was horrified at what this place had come to. So, although I did feel a sense of being superior to humans in situations like this, I was _far_ from being a machine.

My sensors detected footsteps on the ground beside me and I turned up my audios as Rik joined me.

"Horrifying..." he whispered, his voice raspy.

I nodded. "Yeah. In more ways than one." I paused for a moment. "Actually, to be honest, it's kind of disgusting how low some people will go just to survive." I snorted. "Makes me glad I..." I suddenly stopped, realizing what I was about to say. I forced that thought from my processor. "Makes me glad I wasn't here at the time..." I quickly said.

If Rik suspected something about me, he didn't say a thing.

Anyway, the two of us left the feeding frenzy behind, and I had to admit, I was worried. What if we came across more organized survivors? Would they be able to defeat us then? And what about the Grimm? Seeing as how I hadn't seen any, this made me wonder if there _were_ any Grimm here.

Then we heard it.

On second thought, maybe I was wrong. There _were_ Grimm here, and from the howling, I could tell it was Beowolves.

I glanced at the radar in the corner of my vision, and at once a chill raced down my back struts. The radar was flashing with fifty red dots, and more were coming rapidly. I gripped my magnum in my hands and Rik backed up so he was facing the other direction, his cape pressed to my cloaked back. I only hoped he didn't feel my flight pack and wings. That would be bad, because then he'd no doubt figure out what I was. If he felt it, then I could always fall back on the original lie I had first told Tina; at least I hoped he'd fall for it. Truth be told, I was concerned he'd see through it.

Regardless, we were surrounded and needed a way out.

"Grimm..." Rik hissed, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Okay... maybe there are Grimm here..." I muttered.

"Told you do," Rik retorted.

I kept silent, my optics flashing dimly beneath my hood. I held up my weapon and peered through the sight. The Beowolves were coming in large numbers, and I could see a bunch of Lancers and Griffons as well on the outskirts of the horde. Boarbatusks led the Beowolves, and to top it off, I could pick out an orb of some kind, but one that was more organic in nature compared to the round Haros I had seen in the Vist Foundation when I was there. It also had tentacles. And at once I knew what it was.

A Seer Grimm.

"Oh, shit...!" I whispered, my optics flaring in horror. "That's a Seer!"

Rik cocked his head a bit as he saw it. "A Seer?"

I nodded. "Yeah. The thing is, I've only heard of them, never seen one until today," I explained.

The warrior hummed in thought as he observed it. "What does a Seer do?" he asked quietly.

I shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. I've only heard rumors that they can be used for communications, but I'm not sure as to how that works," I admitted in a low voice.

Rik looked down, as if in thought.

"Hmm... If that's the case, then it's probably observing us for someone," he mused.

A thought crept into my processor, as I remembered Phil Ken Sebben mentioning Sammael. He hadn't told us much, but some of the stuff I was able to pick up on through the Sky Web. One of the websites I had checked out held information and speculation on Grimm and Sammael's connection to them. One thing that had constantly been mentioned was the fact that Sammael often used the Seers for communication and observation.

If that was the case...

I reacted as swiftly as I could, whipping my magnum around to face the Seer Grimm, my finger tightening on the trigger and then letting loose. The gun roared, and the charged shot streaked right for the Grimm. The thing barely dodged it, but I was not going to let it continue observing us. I fired again, this time directly into the Seer's path. The shot hit it dead center and it vanished in a cloud of thick black smoke.

I expanded my radar to maximum range, and sure enough, I picked up two more Seers lurking farther back. "Shit...!" I muttered.

The Grimm Horde attacked.

Me and Rik were forced into battle as they surged at us. The Beowolves in the rear of the Boarbatusks and behind them came the Lancers and Griffons. I replaced my magnum back on my flight pack and my hand flew for my sword, drawing it out from within my shield. I pressed the button on the hilt and the edges of the physical blade became coated in beam energy seconds later. Rik noticed my Hyper Beam Sword, but said nothing.

"Stay back!" I ordered him. "I'll handle this!"

"Not alone you can't!" the warrior shot back.

"Just stay back!" I repeated.

Seeing that I wasn't budging on the issue, he finally relented and stayed back as I charged at the closest Boarbatusk and dove to the ground as it stampeded over me, and I drove my blade into its soft underbelly. The pig Grimm squealed as it dissipated and I rolled to the right as a Beowolf tried to bite my left arm. I was on my feet in a flash and I whipped my sword around, cutting the wolf Grimm's snout off before I jabbed the blade into its chest, killing it. The Grimm vanished in wisps of smoke. I turned to face the rest of the horde and I flared my optics brightly, the violet light showing under the darkness of my hood.

I lunged into the fray. I swung, cut, stabbed, and jabbed with my sword, other times resorting to good ol' punches and kicks to keep them at bay. It was a madhouse as I was forced to dodge each attempt by a Grimm to bite me or to tear my cloak off. As it stood, while I was holding my own, it was a lot harder with aerial attacks by the Lancers and Griffons. And on top of that, the Seers seemed to be coordinating things... or rather I guessed it was Sammael who was doing it. My optics flashed as I turned to face one of the Seers and flipped it the bird.

Rik's eyes widened at the rude gesture, but he didn't call it out.

Rather he was busy with his own matters. Or more notably trying to stay alive. I was impressed with his agility as he dodged the Griffon and Lancer attacks, but even so it was only a matter of time before he wore himself out. I mentally gritted my teeth as I realized I had no choice. I had to do something and fast.

I leapt back as I exposed my right arm and my beam burst gun swung into position. I aimed it at the closest group of Beowolves and fired, the six shots hitting the ground and exploding, causing dust and dirt to be thrown up everywhere. Rik's yelp of surprise proved I had completely covered the battlefield. I threw my cloak open before I flared my wings and launched all eight of my fin funnels, along with the Dracon fangs from my shield. I even grabbed my magnum and aimed it as well. I sped into the air, and relying on my sensors, fired in all directions at the aerial Grimm. The beams from my fin funnels lanced out as my Dracon fangs flitted and darted across the skies, my magnum barking its fury as I fired at the Lancers from afar. My beam burst gun roared its displeasure as I spun in the air, my head Vulcans chattering in response as well. I hesitated about using my shoulder missile pods though, not wanting to strike Rik or possibly Tina if she was close by.

The onslaught continued for another few minutes before the last of the aerial Grimm were slain. I called back all my funnels and once they had reattached, I folded my wings and drew my cloak back around me as I landed.

Rik slowly lowered his remaining arm as the dust began to settle.

The other Grimm had retreated after seeing the aerial support wiped out, so that left us with a reprieve.

His blue eyes widened as he looked around. "W...What happened to the aerial Grimm?" he asked, clearly confused. "I thought there were many..."

"There were, but I took care of them," I said.

"How?" the warrior asked. "I know I sensed something was attacking them, but..."

I tensed briefly, worrying that he had seen me without my cloak.

"Well, I handled them," I repeated, trying to keep things on track. "But what really worries me is the fact that Seer Grimm were present."

"And that is worrisome because...?" Rik's voice trailed off.

"Let's just say that they're the eyes and ears of someone you don't want to mess with..." I muttered, my optics flaring dimly beneath the hood of my cloak.

The warrior inclined his head, but let it go as we resumed walking.

* * *

 _"Hmm... It seems he's more aware of us than we thought..."_

 _"True... But that doesn't mean he's one to underestimate. If the reports are correct, his reputation is starting to grow. And his skills are only getting better the more he fights."_

 _"That may be the case, but he's still nothing when compared to our kind."_

 _"Yes."_

 _"Speaking of which... how is the new... recruit... doing?"_

 _"He is doing well. His powers are truly fascinating. But it is his grudge that has led him to us. He just needs more training to control his instincts and soon he will be truly one of us."_

 _"What of his origins?"_

 _"His origins are another fascinating aspect. Once human, turned into half machine, and then fused with the Dark Substance. He is truly the first artificial Fallen."_

 _"Do you have plans to make more like him?"_

 _"Oh, no. To do so would be a waste of resources and time. We may as well have to make do with just him for now."_

 _"And of Matthews?"_

 _A dark chuckle. "Oh, he'll be surprised to learn that his antithesis has survived his defeat..."_

* * *

The next few days were full of Grimm attacks, not to mention dealing with wild and cannibalistic survivors.

I had to admit I was worried. This whole thing was starting to make my circuits crawl.

But it was on the fifteenth day we found more about what happened to the island of Flowertopia.

The day began like normal, with me, Tina, and Rik combing the island for clues or old diary entries. Rik this time was the one helping me hunt around while Tina stayed behind to go over what we _did_ know.

The two of us left the hotel early that morning, and we slowly made our way through the destroyed and burnt city streets, passing by ruined buildings, devastated carriages and cratered sidewalks. Bodies littered the alleyways here and there, and the disgusting stench of rotting garbage was enough to make me close the vents beneath my faceplate to keep it out.

I wondered if Rik had the same issue as me when it came to the stink of garbage. I looked to my left, and as we walked past a garbage can, his eyes widened a bit and he jerked his head away, his eyes closing. A noise of disgust escaped him. "Blech!"

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Now you know how I feel with that," I joked.

The warrior glared at me in response to my remark. "What?" I asked.

He merely continued on, and I was forced to jog to keep up. Thankfully my frame allowed me to run faster for longer periods, but even so, Rik was surprisingly agile for his height. "Jeez! What did I say?!" I blurted.

Rik didn't answer. Instead, he kept moving before he slowed. "That wasn't a funny joke," he remarked. "Especially as I've been in cities like this back home."

"Okay! I'm sorry for trying to lighten the mood," I stated.

That seemed to calm him down as he turned to look at me. "And I accept it."

With a nod, I finally cast my gaze around the area of Goldenrod City we were in.

It wasn't very far from the city itself, but it was still close enough. And yet it seemed like this place was even worse than the city's ruins. Out here there were destroyed and burnt out homes, along with skeletons. "Geez... How many skeletons does this place have?!" I remarked.

Rik was silent as he pondered this new development. The discovery of so many skeletons made me wonder if there had been tourists who wound up trapped here when the attack happened. If that was the case, then there was no doubt that the governments of the world had quarantined the island to try and keep the Grimm at bay, only allowing experienced Huntsmen and Huntresses on these shores. And no doubt the families of those tourists mourned their loved ones' losses.

I proceeded to make my way over to one of the skeletons and knelt, making the warrior look at me in confusion. "What are you doing?" he asked.

I said nothing as I poked around, finally finding a purse that lay not too far from the bony hand. It was rotting and didn't look too good, and I highly doubted any of the contents survived, but I picked it up gently anyway. I slowly tore it open and my optics were greeted with the sight of several rotted objects of feminine need, but the billfold remained intact. I pulled it out and slowly opened it, exposing the credit cards and the driver's license. The woman had been named Lisa Fleming, and she had been in her thirties when she died. The image on the license showed a pretty redhead with deep green eyes, and she had a lovely smile on her face.

A pang of grief surged through my chest and I lowered my head, putting the billfold back in the purse and placed it beside the skeleton.

I slowly stood up.

"What was that for?" Rik asked me.

"Nothing..." I muttered, feeling intense grief surging through me. To find someone's personal belongings in an apocalyptic wasteland always seemed to bring out emotions for that person. It was a tale that was told all too often in post-apoc stories, which often correlated with massive Grimm attacks. Those belongings often told too much about the deceased, and it was enough to make me wish I could cry again.

As I said before, sometimes I considered being a Gundam a curse. But for the most part, it was a blessing.

I looked at Rik, and I saw his eyes shimmering with emotion as he gazed into my hood-covered optics.

"Sometimes such things can tell too much about the deceased..." I rasped. "And it often brings to the surface feelings of sadness and grief."

"I've seen it all too often back home," Rik said gently. "But to remember is often enough to assure that they will not be forgotten."

I nodded, knowing what he meant. And I silently made a vow to never die until Lisa Fleming and all those who died here either were sent home or buried someplace rather than be left as anonymous statistics on this apocalyptic island.

I turned away from the pile of skeletons and wandered off towards one of the houses at random.

Rik followed me, keeping his blue eyes peeled for any Grimm or mad survivors. I wasn't too surprised when he tapped my shoulder and gestured to a pair of Beowolves prowling around. I ignored them though and ventured inside.

The interior of the house was a mess, just like the rest of the buildings were. My wings twitched as I looked around, half expecting a Geist or something to be lurking around. But my radar didn't pick up anything like that. So that was a relief for me.

Anyway, I cast my gaze around the interior of the house, taking note of the condition. The interior of the house was completely trashed, fading pictures and paintings littering the floor. Tables and chairs lay rotting in heaps of wood and fabric, plants were overturned and dishes lay in heaps of shattered ceramic. I wasn't shocked to see some skeletons littering the floor, and one of them looked as if it were holding onto a dead pet's skeleton, inches from its mouth. A brief flicker of terror raced through me, and I feared that the person had intended to devour the helpless animal, but upon closer inspection it was not held in a fashion that indicated feasting, but more like comfort. Maybe they held onto their beloved pet in their final hours for both, kissing them one last time?

That seemed to be the most logical conclusion to me. I finally looked around for something to cover the two with, but nothing was present. And there was no way I was taking my cloak off in front of Rik.

So I left them and made my way over to the stairs leading to the second story.

Rik meanwhile was looking around in what appeared to be an old study, so I left him to that while I ventured upstairs.

I was half expecting to see a skeleton grinning at me once I got upstairs, but there was nothing, much to my surprise. Rather, the second story seemed to be frozen in time. The roof was surprisingly intact, and the windows were all whole, not shattered. Dust did fill the air, along with a musty odor, but it was nothing compared to the stink of rotting garbage. The beds were all intact, as were bookshelves and desks. Even the fabric was untouched. It all seemed to take on a mild sepia tone, mostly due to the thick layers of dust and grime covering the windows.

Confused, I glanced back down the stairs, and everything down there seemed to take on the same sepia tone.

What was going on here?

Slowly I made my way towards the closest room and peered inside.

What I saw sent a shiver down my back struts.

Sitting at a desk was a young boy no older than three, with black hair and deep brown eyes, so dark they seemed to be black. He was busy fiddling with something, but it seemed as if he were in a still photograph. I ventured inside and approached him. My hand reached out to touch his shoulder, only for it to _pass through_ his flesh and blood body! I gasped and pulled back, my optics flashing in shock. What the hell was going on here?!

I glanced around the room and reached out a shaking hand towards the desk, only for my fingertips to brush its wooden surface. I looked at my fingers, their tips resting on the surface of the desk. And all the while the boy sat as still as ever. I pulled my hand back and flexed it, studying it. So I wasn't a full specter, but the fact that my hand had passed through the boy's body indicated that something else was afoot.

I looked around the room a second time and finally peeked over the boy's shoulder.

He was busy fiddling with some kind of device that looked as if it had been cobbled together from spare parts or...whatever. It didn't make much sense to me from the way it looked. But upon closer inspection when I knelt, it became clear. There was a head, a torso, two legs and an arm was being assembled. It looked like a little wooden mecha, but in no way a Gundam or cyborg. The head was more like one of those old sci-fi robots: boxy and with two light bulbs for eyes. The arms had two three-fingered manipulators on them and the legs and feet were boxy and bulky. The torso was also boxy with buttons on its front.

This kid was a science whiz, I realized.

I stood up and walked over to the bookshelf, pulling a book off and flipping through it, only to find that there were diagrams of inventions of many types lining the margins. But most of them were too advanced for me to comprehend. Only a few I recognized like a fusion reactor, a beam Gatling gun, and even a flight pack similar to the one I had.

I was even more confused as I set the book back in its place on the bookshelf.

Now I needed answers.

I wandered out of the bedroom and over to the second, one I guessed to be the master bedroom. But when I peeked inside, I only saw the image of a woman sitting on it, rubbing her belly as it was taught and round, the indicator of pregnancy. I made my way over and held my hand out in front of her, waving it.

No response.

Just like the boy.

I frowned to myself in my thoughts as I walked over to another bookshelf and pulled off a book, noting that it was for home remedies to deal with pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness. I put it back and looked into the master bath, finding the image of two people, a man and the same woman, kissing lovingly as they pressed their naked bodies together in the shower.

A heat filled my faceplate and I rushed out of the room, blushing a beet red at the implications.

Once out of the master bedroom, I finally looked around and stepped into what appeared to be a second story study.

And it was there I saw the same man from before, sitting as if in contemplation. He had his back to me, and he was sitting in a chair behind a desk littered with papers, all of them written in a scrawl that I could barely read. It was only because of my keen optics that I was able to even discern different letters. I leaned over and grasped one of them, pulling it close to me and I read it over.

 _To whomever finds this:_

 _I am the only survivor left on the island that has not succumbed to the madness that now rots our minds._

 _I have successfully managed to avoid this fate by activating my Semblance, but only temporarily. So I am using what little time I have left on the material plane to explain what exactly has happened here to our beloved land._

 _The Grimm came when we were least expecting it._

 _The tourists had finished disembarking their ships and the hotels were opening for business. The vineyards were ready and the berry orchards were ripe for making the jams. Cows and goats were giving milk, and the bees buzzed merrily to make their sweet honey. Everything was at peace, as it should be on this lovely little section of this world of ours._

 _But it was not to last._

 _Nothing good ever lasts for long in this world when it comes to the Grimm._

 _No one knows what happened to draw those creatures to our shores, but one thing I do know is that no Huntsman or Huntress ever set foot on our shores when this happened. The Grimm came so suddenly, it caught us all by surprise. My beloved Oceanbird and our son, Susan, were out at the market when it happened. I never saw my beloveds ever again. The cries of the Grimm were many, and as quickly as it began, people were dying in the streets. Men, women, and children. Livestock were spared, but all that is not animal was slaughtered. Our cultural heritage sites, the cities of Goldenrod and Marigold City, were wiped off the face of the Earth in the ensuing riots. Tourists took to rioting and chaos filled the air. I admit, I was curious; so I went outside to see what was afoot._

 _I was forced to retreat from the scene once I saw what was happening on the streets._

 _And it was then that the Grimm spread inland._

 _I could see the fires from my homestead, raging for weeks and months. I never knew what befell the rest of the populace, but soon it became clear that tribalism was taking root. It slowly tainted the minds and souls of my friends and neighbors, turning them against one another. It was like something out of those end of the world books the tourists sometimes left behind. It was truly horrific._

 _But it only got worse._

 _I was forced to use violence to defend myself, which was something I have always condoned. I made my first kill of a woman who came searching for meat, and I regretted it since. I have tried to make amends, but it has never worked. These Grimm were just too many, and they left nothing that was of human manufacture untouched. The island itself has become tainted, as thick black vines have started to sprout from the once fertile landscape, weaving into the intricacies of the buildings of our cities, turning them into shadows of their former selves._

 _I have prayed to Glob that the attack would end, but so far it has not seemed to._

 _It was also during this time that I found and learned of my Semblance. But I do not know how long I can last in this state. Already I am weakening with the effort to keep this little bubble of mine safe and intact. I have made several snapshots from my memories, and embedded myself into them so as to keep some small part of the past alive. It may not seem like much, but in truth, it is all that I have left. Memories of my wife, my son, and of myself. So, whomever finds this, I ask of you to leave this house alone; intact though it may be, I have in effect cursed this land. Those who enter will see me and my family, trapped in time, never to move, grow, or age. They will leave, but never return to this place. Memories will be forgotten as the price for finding this land._

 _Let this stand as a reminder of what we were, of_ who _we were, of what we did, of how we lived._

 _But above all, do not lament my absence, for in my heart I know that this is not the end. But merely a new beginning._

 _I only hope that one day our lovely island can be returned to the paradise it once was._

 _Windbear_

I slowly lowered the letter as I looked around.

This was...

I turned to the other papers on the desk and grabbed a second one, examining it.

This time it detailed the death of the woman he mentioned. I grabbed all the papers I could and looked around, finding a battered old backpack. I took it and stuffed the papers inside after checking to see if it was empty.

Once I was finished, I stood up and looked around the room, hesitating before I made my way to the man, Windbear.

I slowly reached out a hand...

And laid it on his shoulder.

Or rather it passed through, like with the young boy. I sighed in frustration. "So much for that..." I muttered.

I finally lowered my hand and turned, intending on leaving the room. Only to stop as I heard a sound. "That is the curse... of my Semblance."

I whirled around, dropping the backpack and gripping my magnum in my hand, but not removing it from my flight pack. The man opened his eyes and stood up, getting out of his seat to greet me. "As I have said in the letter, it is my curse," he repeated.

"W-Who... _What_ are you?!" I stammered, feeling my reactor racing in my chest.

Windbear sighed. "I'm just a person caught in a wasteland I did not wish to be a part of," he said softly.

"How...?" My voice trailed off as he turned to look at me.

"My Semblance. Snapshot," he explained. "It allows me to take a 'snapshot' of my memories and place it in the house or wherever I am to make it a real life photograph. However, it comes with a price. The longer I stay in here, the more I become a part of it. And the longer I am a part of it, the more I fade into it. Soon this place will be nothing but a set frozen in time, unable to advance or move beyond its current year. It will be a place that people can visit to see what life was like prior to our end."

"So..." I paused as he took in my appearance, or rather he wasn't. It was like he wasn't even registering me.

"Y...You're not even noticing me?" I asked.

"I notice your presence, but I cannot see you. Again, a part of my curse," Windbear said sadly. "And one I cannot escape."

I sighed, feeling relieved that he couldn't see me. So I removed my cloak's hood. At least for right now. "So... what exactly...?" I let my voice trail off as he seemed to sense my question.

"Alas, what caused the Grimm to come here is beyond me. But they were after something. Or rather, some _one_. I can only guess as to who, and my guess may be wrong, or right. In this case, I can only assume that my guess will be correct," the hippie remarked.

"And your guess?" I asked, pressing for information.

Windbear fell silent for a moment before he sighed. "My son... Susan."

Had I been human, my eyebrows would've flown upwards. But instead, I inclined my head to the side a bit. "Susan?" I repeated.

He nodded. "Yes. I do not know why I fear that, but... it has been gnawing at me ever since his disappearance. He has always been fascinated by science and technology, something we forbid here on Flowertopia, mostly because we wished to live peacefully and didn't want our natural beauty to be tainted by modern society," he told me. "And he has never shown anything that a normal child would have: happiness, excitement to play with other children, and an imagination for making imaginary worlds. Plus his eyes..." Here he shuddered, and I remembered the Fallen I had faced. My optics flared dimly and I snarled.

"Right..." I muttered. "So you fear it was your own son that brought the Grimm here..."

Windbear nodded his head, turning and walking back to his seat. "You must go. I have given you what you seek. From here on, you are on your own."

Then he went silent and still once more.

I backed out of the study, stunned at what I had just witnessed and experienced. I slowly closed the door behind me...

And then everything was back to normal.

The sepia tone was gone, and the upstairs, despite being intact, looked a lot older and more rotted than before. Well, not too bad, but still. Confused, I went to the room where the boy had been, and it was empty. Save for a small wooden mecha lying on the desk, mostly completed.

I headed into the master bath and bedroom, but no one was there. I checked the study upstairs a second time, and Windbear was gone, leaving only an empty desk behind.

But the backpack was right where I had dropped it.

The backpack!

I grabbed it and pulled it close, opening it and sure enough, right inside, were the letters I had swiped from the desk. They were more yellowed, but were still in good shape. I closed up the backpack and turned, looking back at the spot where Windbear had sat, and I shuddered.

I found I had nothing to say as I left the room, leaving it alone and dark.

But now the question was...

What to do now?


	17. Arc I - Uncovering Truth

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Marigold City (Tour Guide Information)_

 _A cultural hub and the capital of the island, Marigold City is well known for the music and arts that fill the air of Flowertopia. The lovely lilting tunes of sitars and harps resonate with the soul and heart of the people living on this wondrous island. Calm, enchanting choruses of men and women alike move the minds of tourists and concerts are aplenty in this hub of artful crafting, whether in pottery or music. Families and children are welcome to take part in making of leis and peace sign garments to add to their collection of souvenirs._

 _The city's impressive and interactive Museum of Music welcomes all patrons, young or old, disabled or not, men or women, human, Faunus, or Mobian alike. Even Hunters and Huntresses are welcome to explore and learn of the value and influence of Flowertopian music in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The museum's long and rich history of the music of our island invites guests and patrons alike to ponder what they would do to create and discover their own 'soul song', and then to play it from their heart in our lovely Museum Concert Hall._

 _Hours range from four PM to nine PM on Mon-Fri, and five AM to 10 PM on weekends and holidays._

 _Close File_

* * *

"What is it that makes a cultural experience? Is it learning the politics of a nation? Or is it in their history, their art, their music, or their cuisine? Culture is something that has been debated throughout the years, but all in all, it comes down to one thing: what makes us human. Our ability to feel emotions gives birth to art, to song, to writing. And others in turn attribute meaning to those symbols," TOM explained as he shut down the Marigold City Tour Guide file. "So what is culture? Everything. Music, education, art, religion, technology, politics, and science. It lends itself to every nation on the planet, no matter what universe you reside in. But sometimes people seek to create their own cultures, diverse and rich, for their stories or their films. In the multiverse, you never know what is real or not. So who knows? Maybe the culture you created is real in another universe. And maybe one day you will get a chance to visit it." He leaned back and pressed a button on the arm rest of his chair. "That's the beauty of culture. It can be anything that human beings express in creativity. So don't denounce it until you can experience it for yourself."

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 ** **I **t's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (****** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 ** **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (**** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 ** **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (**** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 ** ** **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (****** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face_ **)**

 ** ** **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (****** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 ** ** **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (****** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 ** ** **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (****** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The scene shows a sinister eye with a slit for the pupil before it pans to the side to show two catlike eyes in its place_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure's eyes flash as a dark glow encompasses the screen, horrific images appearing along the edges of the screen_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ )

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large Ursa Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing the woman with the sword standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _She thrusts her sword forward and slashes with it, generating a fiery shockwave that explodes against the closest Grimm, thick smoke covering the screen before it fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it comes upon an island shrouded in shadow and ruin_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _Snow is falling on this island, engulfing the remains of battle in a thick layer of white like so many ghosts of the past long forgotten_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The island remains are shown from a distance as a cloaked figure in a white cape and hood stands atop a cliff_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The figure leaps off, throwing open its cape before a wave of blue energy streaks out from the sword on its left arm_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The wave explodes against a Grimm and the figure lands, running into the mist before vanishing like a ghost_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The mist parts as the woman wielding the shotgun aims it and pulls the trigger, sending shells right for the mechanical-organic forms of Spindle Grimm as they scuttle along the ground_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The Spindles skitter left and right to avoid as she steps back into the mist and vanishes_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The mist is blown aside as the man with the broadsword attacks, unleashing a wave of razor air right for the Spindles as they come out of the darkness of the night_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The Spindles are destroyed and turn into smoke as he whips around, his Aura seething a light purple in color as he charges_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the camera pans to the left, showing the woman with her hammer thrusting it at one of the Beetle Destroyer Grimm attacking her_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _She is surrounded, but then she draws back her hammer and slams it into the ground, knocking them back and destroying them as the smoke fades, showing the ruins from before_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc I: Uncovering Truth**

* * *

What to do now?

That was the question that floated through my processor as I left the upstairs, making my way back down to the first floor of the house.

Windbear's house.

Rik came out of the study he had been in, and his eyes widened as he saw me carrying a backpack in my hand.

"Where did you get that?" he asked.

"Just upstairs," I replied vaguely. In truth, I wasn't sure if I should even _tell_ him about what I had seen and learned. I was still surprised by that myself, actually.

I turned to him. "We'd best get back to the city. I have to show Tina this," I said, holding up the backpack. "Unless you think we should check out another part of the city."

Rik paused, looking at the backpack before looking me in the optics. "It's your choice," he remarked. "Although I must admit, I am a bit curious as to why though."

That was a hint that he wanted me to tell him what happened upstairs. I hesitated, unsure if I should tell him or not. Truthfully, I wasn't even too trusting of this guy yet. So I decided to hold off until I was sure I could trust him. I shook my head. "Not yet," I replied. "So... let's just drop it, okay?"

The warrior hummed a little, but accepted my decision and turned to leave. The two of us left the house, and I looked back over my shoulder at it. I said a small prayer to Glob... or rather I hesitated in the middle and shook my helm. I wasn't even sure why I wasn't finishing it, to be honest. But ever since I had met Orion Prima in Outpost Prima, I had slowly started to feel that maybe there was something else out there. Something else other than Glob. Maybe... something more... I don't know... divine? It was hard to say what I felt at the moment.

Anyway, we made our way back to the city square and hurried into the hotel, heading up to the third floor where Tina was waiting for us.

Rik scurried off to the room we had set up for him, no doubt to recover from the day's excursions. In truth, even I was beat.

Tina was surprised to see me come in with the backpack. "Where did you get that?" she asked.

"Found it in a house," I explained. "And actually... you need to hear this." I quickly explained what had happened and of the man I had found in the house, only to find out he had used his own Semblance to curse the place and turn it into a real photographic time capsule, trapping himself within it for ages to come. I even showed her the letters he had written in his own hand. She was shocked, and I understood her shock. This was not what she had expected, and actually it was still a stunner for me.

When I finished explaining, she lowered her hands from in front of her mouth. "You're kidding..." she rasped. "That... That all really happened?"

I nodded. "It's true, Tina. And actually, I feel that we found something significant here," I said.

"Well... this had better be called in then," she said, becoming serious.

"Agreed," I replied. "You get the radio. We'll call him."

Tina scrambled off to the suitcases and grabbed the closest one. She unzipped it and after some fiddling around, pulled out the radio we had bought before leaving San Diego. She pressed the transmit button before she adjusted the dial, her eyes narrowed before she got a frequency. "Hello? This is Team Dragon calling out to Mayor Sebben of GrimmFall. Do you read? Over."

For a moment, static filled the air in the room, and I wondered if we would get the signal out to GrimmFall. After all, Flowertopia had no signal towers, unless it was to transmit their radio signals over the airwaves to the island and even to the mainland.

But nothing else filled the room. Just the static of the radio.

"Dammit!" I swore, punching the wall with one hand. "We can't even get a signal out here..."

Tina frowned as she replaced the mike on the device. "Maybe... but we did say we have to notify him of any significant finds, Joseph," she remarked.

I nodded. "I know that. But... still..." I growled to myself.

' _Maybe we should've waited..._ ' I thought. ' _...until the research ship returns. Then we could use their radio to contact Sebben._ '

That was the issue. No radio towers to boost the signal, no nothing. So we were unable to make contact with the man. At least for now.

I sighed as I stood up straight. "Now what'll we do...?" I murmured softly.

Of course, we had no idea that things were about to take a turn for the worse that evening.

And that we'd learn something surprising about our new companion.

* * *

That evening was as usual, with me and Tina settling down for some quiet time. Rik was off doing who knew what, and that suited me just fine. For the moment, anyway. I turned my gaze back to the pile of letters that lay on the table before me, along with my notebook with all the notes I had scribbled down. My handwriting wasn't necessarily the best, but it was better than Windbear's, at any rate. I looked them over, fishing through the pile until I saw something that caught my optic.

It was another letter from Windbear, this time describing about his child's strange behavior.

I skimmed through it, jotting down new notes as I went.

 _Windbear spots son playing with screwdriver and putting things together to make something new.  
The object turns out to be a primitive clock.  
 _ _Son starts to protest and cry when his father takes the clock and screwdriver.  
Starts to calm down when given back items in question  
Refuses to play with other kids  
Only fiddles with objects to make new stuff.  
No creative writing ability  
Imagination used only for inventing new gizmos  
Reluctance to mingle with others in sunlight  
Constantly mutters about a maiden in field  
Grimm attack three days later___

I finally set the pen down and looked at the letter. It was in great detail, which made me wonder if Windbear had been more observant than expected. If that were the case, it would make sense to be extra alert given the Grimm invasion.

Tina's presence was next to me a few minutes later, and when her hand landed on my shoulder, I yelped and whirled to face her. "Geez! You know I hate that!" I gasped, rubbing at my chest as my reactor whirred loudly beneath my chest armor.

"Sorry. But I saw what you wrote down." She pointed at the notes. "Is that all?"

I nodded. "All as described in this." I held up the letter in one metal hand and she took it, examining it and reading it over. Her eyes widened as she looked at me.

"This is... Wow..." She was in shock as she handed it back to me. "This explains a lot. But... how can we be certain it was this boy that brought the Grimm here?"

"We can't," I admitted. "At least not without more information."

Tina nodded. "Right. Bu it is a good start."

I returned her nod with a hum of agreement as I put the letter back with the others. "But something else is bugging me," I admitted. "I just can't quite put a finger on it, though."

"What?" Tina asked.

"I mean, sure we know about what happened now, but... we still have to try and find evidence that this boy was the one that brought the Grimm here..." My optics dimmed a shade as I folded my arms across my chest. "And it just... I dunno, but... something seems... wrong... here..."

"So you feel that there could be something else afoot?" Tina asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah. But... what?"

The last thing that either of us expected was to hear the howling of Beowolves again, and I jolted to my feet as Tina grabbed her rapier. The two of us bolted out of the hotel room and down to the first floor, only to come face-to-face with three large Beowolf alphas, and in front of them stood Rik. His eyes were narrowed as he faced the three of them, and I began to worry that he was in over his head as he was unarmed. And I didn't even know if he could-

What happened next surprised us both.

Rik threw open his cape as he lifted his left arm, and much to our surprise, a flash of light and smoke came from that 'hand' of his, revealing a large sword inscribed with strange runes that even _I_ couldn't decipher. He hesitated... and then the Beowolves leapt.

I made to move, but Tina's hand on my shoulder guard caught my attention. I looked at her and she shook her head. I was confused, but let it slide as I watched with concern in my optics.

The white-clad warrior was on the move, his sword flashing as he brought it up and drove it into the first of the Beowolves before he cut, terminating the beast in one swift move. He whirled around another one as it tried to bite his leg, and he lashed out in a kick that nailed it right in the chest and then his sword was embedded in its forehead, causing this one to vanish as well. He spun around, this time flipping over the third Beowolf's snappy jaws and he kicked it in the back before he landed and turned, holding his sword up in a challenging gesture. I briefly wondered if this guy was insane, but then his reasoning became clear as the Beowolf charged towards him.

The blade of the sword began to glow a bright, translucent blue color.

Had I been human, my optics would've bugged out in shock. But as it stood, I just stood there, staring in shock. Rik didn't even notice us watching as he spun around and slashed with his sword, further shocking us with his next move. " _Transcendent Sword!_ " he shouted, his voice sounding much more authoritative as he unleashed a bright blue shockwave that cut the Beowolf in half. The wave kept on going before it struck one of the building's windows, shattering it into millions of glass shards. Rik landed on his feet and turned, a hum of triumph escaping his chest as he prepared to sheath that sword.

But where had he gotten it? He didn't have _that_ on his person anywhere!

Just _what_ was he?!

Rik finally sheathed his sword, only to look up and his eyes widened in surprise. "Uh... oh... crap..." he muttered.

"Crap is right!" I blurted, my hand going for my beam magnum stored on my back. "Just what the hell are you?!"

Tina tried to place a hand on my shoulder to calm me down, but I ignored it and was making my move in a flash. My magnum was in my hand and aimed at Rik as he yelped in shock. "Wait! I can explain!" he cried.

"Yeah, right!" I snarled. My optics flashed a bit. "For all I know, you could be a Fallen in disguise!" I brandished my gun in response.

Rik's eyes widened a bit more at the accusation and he jerked back. "What?!"

"How else would you be able to summon a sword out of thin air?!" I growled.

The warrior was forced to dodge as I fired a low powered shot from my gun at him. He rolled to the left, his eyes locking onto my partially covered optics. "You got it all wrong!" he pleaded.

"Sorry, buster! Not falling for it!" I spat. In response I fired again, this time just barely clipping his right leg. He skidded to a stop, his eyes flicking around in a panicked state.

I charged at him, igniting the beam jutte and shoving it right for him. I intended to only wound and get some answers, but he was too fast for me and I missed, my beam jutte embedding itself in the wall. Snarling, I shut it down and turned to face him, aiming my magnum and switching to the rotary grenade launcher underneath the barrel. Rik was in a tight spot now. I felt a small sense of satisfaction pulsing in my chest as I smirked in my thoughts. "So... any last words, _Fallen_?" I sneered.

"I'm not this Fallen!" Rik pleaded.

"Then tell me how you're able to summon that sword!" I hissed.

Rik was silent, his eyes wide as they darted about, searching for a way out.

In my haste, I drew back a fist and prepared to punch him as Tina made her move. Her rapier was in her hand and she snapped it into whip form, sending it snaking right towards Rik in an attempt to pin his left arm to his side and keep him from summoning his sword.

Or so I thought.

As I thrust my fist forward, the last thing I expected was to feel something curling about my arm and snapping taught, stopping my punch cold in its tracks. I glanced back, only to see Tina... with her whip coiled around my arm, holding my fist in place.

Her eyes were wide as she pulled, and then I found myself landing flat on my back, the wind knocked from my intakes. I prepared to roll over onto my chest and push myself to my feet, but something landed on my chest and I grunted from the impact. I looked up, my optics finding Rik's leg, his foot planted right on my chest armor. His blue eyes gazed into my violet optics stoically, his gaze studying me critically. And then the glint of a sword tip was just inches from my faceplate.

For a few moments, there was nothing but silence between the three of us.

Then Rik withdrew his sword. "I do not wish to fight you," he said, sheathing his sword in that 'hand' of his. "From what I know, Grimm are attracted to negative feelings. So let us cease this senseless fighting and talk about this like civilized beings."

He removed his foot from my chest and stepped back, allowing me to get up. I grasped Tina's whip and removed it from my arm before I rolled to my chest and got to my feet. Once I was standing, I turned to face him and Tina.

"And for good reason," she said. "The last thing any of us need is to be fighting one another." She shot me a look of apology, to which I nodded in acceptance in return. I brushed off my cloak and finally holstered my magnum back on my flight pack.

"So tell me. Just what the hell are you?" I asked. "And how are you able to summon that sword?"

Rik sighed in defeat.

"I had hoped you wouldn't find out so soon," he admitted. "But I guess now you'll have to hear it all."

"So then tell us," Tina said. "What are you?"

"I'm just like you. A warrior trying to do good in this world," he explained. He closed his eyes and hung his head. "But as to _what_ I am... I'm afraid I can't say that. It's a matter of secrecy. I'm sorry."

Hearing that reminded me of my own predicament at that moment. Except in my case, it was different. In my case, my frame was part of a top secret project, designed to combat the Grimm to great effect. That was why I wore my cloak all the time: to hide my appearance and to deter any prying eyes from seeing me in full armament. But to hear that Rik was in the same situation made me wonder if he was part of a top secret experiment of sorts. In all honesty, it didn't surprise me one bit, as this world prompted all kinds of means to try and combat or curtail the Grimm from making any more advances on cities or villages and towns. In fact, whole countries were sometimes known to create black projects using darker science or even mystical arts. These projects sometimes bore fruit, other times they didn't work out, mostly due to the UN cracking down on the more... sinister... projects.

And yet this made me wonder what kind of project Rik had been a part of.

That would explain his need for secrecy, as well as the abilities he possessed, most notably that sword of his.

I finally sighed, realizing I had made a big mistake. "Look... Rik... I..."

He looked up, his eyes landing on my optics. "I...I'm sorry... for making such an accusation," I said somewhat hesitantly. "But... given your abilities... it kind of threw me off. So..."

Rik was silent as he looked me over, as if scanning for any sign of deceit. But he seemed to not find any, so he just waved his 'hand' as if to brush the issue aside. "I forgive you, but you must not be so hasty to make such accusations," he lectured. "I'm not this... Fallen... as you claimed."

I nodded, blushing a beet red (and grateful my cloak hid it). "Yeah... Sorry..." I rubbed the back of my helm sheepishly.

The warrior seemed to accept my apology as he nodded. "Very well. Now... I am curious though. I've never even seen you without that cloak."

I tensed, feeling my reactor leap into my throat and I gulped nervously. Tina's eyes went wide and she paled. "Um... it's for his own safety," she said rather quickly. "It's... kind of a defensive measure in a sense. He's..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at me in worry.

"It's kind of complicated..." was all I said on the matter. "And like you, it's a matter of secrecy. Sorry."

"Hmm..." Rik hummed as he looked at both of us, and us at him. "Apparently we both have secrets to hide. And that can make working together incredibly difficult if we cannot trust one another with our secrets."

I nodded. "Yeah. But... how about this? We'll tell you our secret, you tell us yours when you're ready," I offered.

Tina looked at me like I was nuts and leaned in. "Are you _insane_?!" she hissed in my audio receptor.

"I'm serious," I said softly. "It's obvious he doesn't want to tell us at the moment. So let's give him some time to think about it. And plus... he does deserve to know, but we'll just tell him the lie I told you when we first met. Okay?"

Tina's eyes widened as she heard that proposal. Actually, it was a good cover, she later admitted to me. So we went with it.

Rik finally nodded. "That sounds fair. I accept."

I nodded and proceeded to remove my cloak, exposing my Gundam features and frame. Rik's eyes went wide, but then Tina and I went into the explanation, and Tina helped me flesh it out a bit more to make it seem more realistic and probable. Rik seemed to accept the story I first told her: that my frame was in actuality a mobile life-support system that was also designed to allow me to fight Grimm. And actually, he believed it. I wasn't sure if he totally believed it, but he didn't ask any questions once we were finished.

He slowly nodded his head. "I see. So that's why you wear that cloak. To not only hide yourself, but to keep others from finding out about this... exoskeleton... of yours."

I was surprised, but I snagged it and went with it. "Y-Yeah," I remarked. "That's it, basically."

The warrior hummed thoughtfully. "So as per our agreement, I will let you in on my secret, but not right now. I still feel uneasy about telling others about it."

Tina placed a hand on his shoulder. "We understand. We'll be waiting until then."

Rik smiled softly in his eyes at her statement.

Of course, this was just the beginning of our little adventure, as well as what would slowly bring us into a fight unlike any other.

* * *

 _"_ _It seems that this newcomer is somewhat of an enigma..._ "

" _Maybe, but this also gives me an idea..._ "

" _Oh? Pray tell, what is it?_ "

" _If you recall the legends told by those hippies, the perfect adversary lurks just within the island's most notable lagoon, does she not?_ "

" _Ah..._ Her. _How I detest her so..._ "

" _Yes, but her powers are just right for this kind of thing, are they not?_ "

" _Hmm... But how do you intend to draw the males in? As you recall... Joseph Matthews is not even human, so he can just tune it out completely. And as for his other companion... I do not see how her powers could affect him._ "

" _You underestimate her. She is not one to be messed with, as she has charmed not just Faunus, Mobians, and humans, but also_ Fallen."

" _Ah... yes... Now I recall her. She has slain many... and a few Fallen is a rare feat for someone such as her. So you wish to recruit her to our cause?_ "

" _Her powers do make her a valuable asset, my friend. So she will be easy to recruit. I will visit her in a few days' time, so we can work out a deal. Plus... I have a feeling she may be seeking somewhat of a...challenging... opponent, yes?_ "

" _I see your point then. If you feel she is a good candidate for recruitment, I shall temper my dislike of her. I know you. And as for your other...recruit?_ "

" _He is coming along nicely indeed..._ "

* * *

 **Deep within the legends of this world, there is tell of a maiden of the deep, whose songs lure men to her waters.**

 **This maiden is said to have been born from the sorrow of a man who lost his love to a terrible storm, taking shape from his very tears. She sought to comfort him, but the more she tried, the more he denied her until she grew so angry she consumed him, flesh and all.**

 **Another story tells of how she is a cursed maiden, cursed by her family when her hideous appearance caused her to be executed at the stake and then dropped into the deep of the calmest lagoon, only to come back as a beauty of untold loveliness, only to seduce men with her songs in an attempt to find her loved one so she could be cast free from the deep.**

 **Whatever the story, it is rumored that any who hear her call are swayed to wander the land until they come to the lagoon where she resides. Then they are never seen again. Her call is said to enchant the males of whatever species she sees fit, and so far this has proven to be true, as those few who have been rescued have said that they wandered in a dream-like state until they awoke in her grasp, inches from being devoured whole.**

 **But due to how few people escape the Maiden's grasp, it is so far only seen to be a myth, a legend, a cautionary tale for any young who get too adventurous. And yet, others continue to insist that this Maiden is real...**

 **And extremely dangerous...**

* * *

The next few weeks we spent exploring the island, trying to find out more information on the Grimm attack.

We finished poking around Goldenrod City's remains, and nothing new had turned up. So we decided to leave and see where else the Grimm had attacked.

I for one wanted to check out the capital city and see if anything else had survived, like government records or personnel. But both Rik and Tina didn't want to explore it. Instead, they wanted to work their way down the coasts before moving inland. So after some debating, we agreed to a compromise. We would go halfway around the island and then go explore the capital city.

We left only three days ago. And already we had come across several smaller communities that had been ravaged by the Grimm. Only skeletons of homes, organisms, and carriages remained. Some were already washed away by the tides, leaving only small remnants behind. We bypassed those communities and came across the next largest city, once known for its wondrous flowers and splendid honey: Honeybee Village. Although technically labeled as a city, it still had a sort of Old World village charm to it, no doubt to the European immigrants who settled this place sometime back in the late seventeenth century.

The three of us decided to explore it and see what else we could find.

Of course though, we had no idea that this city was also located close to one of Flowertopia's oldest and most dangerous lagoons.

A lagoon whose story was lost to the mists of time.

But more on that will come later. Right now we decided to make camp in one of the old buildings, more like a housing area for the port workers. It proved to be a good spot since it was located close to the main road and also the city center. So once we had our base established, we started poking around.

And it was in one of the former newsstands that we found some disturbing information from an old news article.

It was around 1300 hours in the afternoon when we finished searching in the old school for anything new relating to the Grimm. So far our explorations had yielded no new data, and it was starting to get cloudy. My sensors also detected an increase in the temperature and humidity; a storm was brewing. So we made our way back to the housing facility and closed the door. Tina and I shared a room while Rik got his own, as it had been within Goldenrod City, but right now we were meeting in our room.

Once we were all assembled, I sat down and Tina joined me as Rik leaned back against the wall. "Another dead end..." he muttered.

"I know," I grumbled. "And nothing new in that old school."

Tina held up a crumbling textbook. "So much for that."

Rik snorted. "Personally, I don't see why we can't just go seek this Susan boy," he remarked.

"It's not that simple," I said. "Windbear didn't tell me anything about that, and I highly doubt the kid's even still alive after that Grimm attack." Recently I had told him everything that transpired in Windbear's house, and while he had been a bit disturbed, he was also intrigued, as he had never heard of a Semblance like Snapshot before. (And truthfully, it still creeped me out.)

Regardless, he realized I had a point and he nodded. "Right... I forgot..." he muttered.

Tina tossed the old book aside and stretched out on the floor. "So...now what?" she asked.

"I think it's best we try and go over what we do know, which we already have," I mused. "So..."

Rik looked at me. "No. We already know everything that's happened on this island so far. So let's try and attack this from a new angle. Like for instance, what if something else was also a part of the attack?"

Now _that_ was an angle I hadn't even considered. "Huh?" I looked at Rik like he was nuts. "You... You serious, Rik?"

He nodded. "From what I recall, Fallen can command the Grimm, can they not?"

That was true, I realized. But what did... Unless...

It just didn't seem possible. But maybe he did have a point. There was no way a three-year-old boy could command the Grimm... It just wasn't possible...

Was it?

And yet... something just seemed... wrong... about this whole thing.

I wasn't sure as to what it was, but something was niggling at my processor. I hummed in thought as I looked down, crossing my arms over my chest.

"So... you think there could be another part to the attack?" I asked.

Rik nodded. "Yes. And I suspect it was _not_ this Susan boy, but _another_ Fallen."

That was an issue. And perhaps something we hadn't even considered. Least of all expected.

"Hmm..." I tapped one of my metal fingers against my arm. "This... does present an interesting angle," I remarked. "But..." My optics locked onto his blue eyes. "why attack a whole island? It's like... there's got to be a reason for it."

The warrior was silent as he looked away, fixing his gaze on the ocean just beyond the devastated city skyline. I had to admit that this city was one of the more eroded due to how close it was to the ocean, so it was looking a lot worse for the wear than Goldenrod City. I had to admit I was concerned as well. If someone else _had_ been behind the attack on Flowertopia, then what was the reason for it? _That_ was the big unknown here.

And that was a bad thing to have in a situation like this. I needed more information, and from the looks of things, Rik was also needing information. Or at least facts. I was more open to speculation, at least. I turned to look at Tina who was busy skimming through our notes for the... Honestly, I had lost track of how many times she'd read them over. But whatever the number, she was reading them _again_ and it was starting to annoy me.

I huffed through my vents at that. "Geez, Tina! Can't you just stop reading those for a bit?" I asked.

She looked at me like I was nuts, but she did close the book and place it off to the side. "Why?" she asked.

"Because Rik just may have brought up something we never even considered," I told her. "He suspects that there could've been someone else involved in the Grimm attack on this place."

Tina shot a glance at Rik, and he nodded.

"It's true," he said. "I highly suspect someone else was involved."

"But who?" Tina asked with a shrug. "It's not like there was anyone else present."

I had to admit, Tina did have a point. But then again, there was a lot about this world that we still didn't - and still don't - know a lot about. So for all we knew, there could have been someone else around at the time, but there was no evidence to prove it.

Regardless, we decided to at least consider that possibility as we hunted around for more information.

And that was what set us on a collision course with the culprit, even if we didn't know it at the time.

Anyway, that evening we chose to call it quits so we could rest up for the trip to Marigold City the next day.

But as I fell into recharge, I was completely unaware of us being watched...

* * *

'Ugh...'

'Man...'

'What...? What did I have to drink last night?'

'Wait... I don't need to drink anymore. So... why...?'

 _"Joooossseeeeppphhh... Joooossseeeeppphhh..."_

'Huh?'

'Who... Who's calling me?'

 _"Come here, Joseph..."_

'That voice...'

'It's... so beautiful...'

 _I got to my feet, my optics roaming around the clearing, taking note of all the beauty around me. Actually, it looked a lot nicer than I remembered. The trees were very healthy and their blossoms were in full bloom. A fragrance of honeysuckle and petunias filled my olfactory sensors and the light from the sun wasn't too bright, nor was it too dim. It was just perfect. And the temperature was a fair and rather pleasant eighty-five degrees. I wasn't sure what was going on. Why wasn't I with the others in the housing facility we had taken up as our base camp?_

 _My wings twitched as I slowly started to walk, looking for a way out of the clearing._

 _A path seemed to appear before me as I walked, throwing me for a loop. What was going on here?_

 _Regardless, I seized the chance to slowly walk through the forest, the trees and undergrowth clearing to allow me easy passage._

 _"Come this way..."_

 _That voice again. It was so gorgeous..._

 _I was drawn to it. My optics fixed on the horizon, right towards the blue ocean I somehow knew lay beyond the trees. Wait... how had I known that?_

 _I had no idea how long I walked for. But it seemed like an eternity in this beautiful paradise. Birds flittered and chirped as I drew closer to the ocean, the flowers parting to reveal a well worn gravel path heading towards a lovely blue lagoon._

 _And standing beside it was a woman of absolute beauty._

 _Her blonde hair hung long and loose, her gorgeous blue eyes seeming to take on the color of the waters before us. Her body was lush and beautiful, with nice curves and exotic features. She wore nothing but a white gown, and she turned to face me, her long legs spreading a bit as she leaned to the side a bit seductively. I felt my frame begin to heat up at the way she posed, her full, plump lips curling into a seductive and mysterious grin. A lump formed in my throat and I gulped nervously. Why was I feeling this way?_

 _"Hello, Josph..." she purred._

 _The only thing I could manage to get out of my vocalizer was a squeak._

 _The woman chuckled huskily. "What's the matter, big guy? Never encountered a real woman before?" She began to slink closer to me, draping one willowy arm across my chest and shoulders. It was all I could do to keep from losing control right then and there. Her ample, full breasts began to press into my chest armor, and I actually shuddered at the sensation. The fact she wore nothing but that gown didn't help much, either._

 _A faint, small voice began to scream at me, but I ignored it. It was just a mere insect to my audio receptors. But some small part of me told me to head its warning. And yet I couldn't. The woman was just too beautiful to ignore for long._

 _Her face leaned in, inches from my own, and her eyes became half-lidded, drinking in my features with what could only be described as lust. My reactor began to skip in its humming within my chest as her arms snaked around my neck, her hand gently caressing the back of my helm. Her lips were mere centimeters from my faceplate, and I could feel her breath on the white metal. I wasn't sure why, but I felt the urge to kiss her._

 _She smiled at me and ran her hand down my chest. I couldn't help but purr softly in my chest as my wings flared open, exposing my broad wingspan. Her eyes grew darker with need and lust as she hungrily eyed my wings. "My... what an expansive wingspan.." she cooed._

 _"Glad you like it..." I whispered huskily, my optics becoming darker with lust as well. And it frightened me. I had to admit, I was scared. I mean, here was this naked woman who was very beautiful and she was already arousing me! I hardly knew her! Hell, I_ didn't _know her! I liked her... and it scared the hell out of me. All the while that little voice was telling me to run. But why would I run if I could spend all of eternity with her?_

 _My hands slowly began to move, one of them gently running down her long, lean back, and entwining in her hair as my other one migrated towards her face. My fingertips gently ran down her cheek, and I felt a low growl come out of my vocalizer before I could stop it. I found myself leaning in to meet her lips..._

* * *

 _ **BOOM!**_

* * *

And I snapped awake.

My optics flashed as I came to my senses, finding myself in a surreal scene of standing on water, a dark night sky barely illuminated by the moon.

Then it passed and I yelped as I sank under the water like a rock. I barely had time to close my vents as the water surged over my helm. The cold of the water was enough to drive any vestiges of recharge from my processor, and I shook my helm to clear my sleep-addled mind.

Now that I was awake, I could see I _was_ underwater. Fish swam around me, although strangely the water was eerily calm. Nothing except the fish moved. As did the seaweed. My optics glowed dimly in the water's inky blackness, and I looked around, trying to figure out how I had gotten here.

Then I heard it.

" _Joooossseeeppphh_..."

The voice from my dream!

Panic suddenly surged through me as I kicked my legs, swimming for the surface of the water as fast as I could. I had never felt so scared in my life. Hell, not in a long time, to be honest. I kept heading for the surface, a sensation akin to adrenaline surging through me and making me move faster.

I finally broke the surface of the lake, or wherever I was, and gasped, opening the vents beneath my faceplate and coughing out some excess water. Movement on the shore caught my optic and I turned my helm to see Tina and Rik standing there, both looking very panicked. Tina was waving her arms frantically and Rik was gesturing wildly with his sword to head towards them.

I didn't waste any time. I immediately started to swim towards them, doing the crawl the whole way there.

The two of them rushed to the shoreline, relief flooding their faces. I drew closer to them...

Only for something to wrap itself around my left ankle. I jerked and gasped as I was pulled back. My optics flashed in shock as I looked back, only to see a tentacle wound around my left ankle joint. Panic flooded my frame, my reactor whirring loudly in my audio receptors as I kicked it, trying to get it to release me. But it wasn't letting go, let alone yielding to my kicks.

I drew back my foot again and this time I put more power to my kick. The blow did the job and the tentacle retreated with a gurgling howl of agony. I put more power to my strokes, also kicking my legs to give myself some added force.

Splashes reached my audios and I sensed Tina and Rik coming out into the water. Their cries were desperate and I responded by giving my all in this. I pushed myself harder and then, with a push from my thrusters, I leapt out of the water enough for them to grab my arms. They hauled me to my feet and then the three of us made our way towards shore.

But all the while, my mind was racing.

What had that strange voice been? And how had I wound up in this lake or whatever? What were those tentacles? All these questions and more flooded my processor. And we still had yet to get an answer.

The three of us finally reached shore. Now that we were safe, I chanced a look back at the spot I had woken up.

Much to my surprise, there wasn't so much as a trace of a lake. Instead there was a small puddle in the center, the moon eerily reflecting off of it and the land around it was dead and still. It was so eerie... and weird.

"I _know_ I woke up in water..." I muttered, trying to wrap my processor around the whole thing. Was it just a dream or...?

Tina seemed to sense my confusion as she looked at me. "Dracon..." she whispered. "Something's wrong here."

Rik nodded in agreement. "Yes. And it is not safe here," he added. "So let us get out of here while we still can."

I could only nod in agreement.

But... what was going on here?

"Tina..." My voice was hoarse as I whispered. "What... What happened?" I looked at her. "How did I get there?"

Her eyes widened at my words. Then she sighed. "Well... to put it simply, we woke up around fifteen minutes after midnight upon hearing something that sounded like a song, but different. Rik was actually the one who heard it first and woke me up. You had by then gotten out of bed and were walking out of the building. Your optics were on, but sort of glazed, if that could even be possible. So we followed you to see where you were going."

Rik took up the story at that point. "And you led us right to this spot," he explained. "We could see that you weren't even paying attention to us, despite our attempts to call out to you. So we had to do something." He held up his sword. "I used my Transcendence Sword to cause an explosion. That snapped you out of whatever you were in." He lowered his weapon and then looked at me critically. "But before that, we noticed something disturbing."

"What?" I asked, even though I already had an idea of what it was.

The white-clad warrior was blunt when he said it. "You were _walking on water._ "

I looked down, taking in the water dripping down my frame. "I was... But how could I? I mean... when I woke up, I sunk like a rock," I remarked.

"That... we're not sure of..." Rik said softly. "But it is disturbing."

Tina nodded.

I had to agree with them. How was it possible? I mean... I was a _Gundam_ , not a human. And even then humans couldn't walk on water, unless they had a Semblance that allowed them to perform such a feat.

"C'mon. Let's get outta here," I said. "I... I'd feel better if we weren't here to begin with."

The three of us hurried away from that puddle.

As we left though, we were unaware that we were being watched by something in the depths.

And that that same something would come back for us later on that same week.

* * *

 _"Hm. It seems we underestimated his two companions..."_

 _"Yes. But now we know that even Joseph can be lured to her lair."_

 _"True. But for how long? Now that he's learned of this... he may just shut down his audio receptors before recharge every night as long as they are in Honeybee Village."_

 _"That does pose a problem. But fear not. For we have a few tricks that may be of use to us..."_


	18. Arc I - Uncovering Legends

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Legend of the Black Puddle Lagoon_

 _On Flowertopia, there is a small city that has been modeled after an ancient Old World Germanic village. Possessing a rich history and culture, this town has become something of an anomaly because of a legend that surrounds one of the many lagoons that dot the coastline. This legend goes back centuries, back to when the islanders first lived on the isolated piece of land._

 _Local lore tells a tale of tragedy and sorrow. It begins with a young maiden who fell in love with a local chieftain's son from a rivaling tribe. The two eloped, much to the dismay and fury of the son's tribe, and thus they began a massive hunt for them. The couple had by then settled down close to the lagoon where she is said to reside. They built their home and were intent on living out their lives in privacy. And yet the couple soon found themselves being attacked by the chieftain of the son's tribe. The girl was captured, and despite his son's protests, he brutally mutilated the woman and chucked her remains into the depths of the lagoon by which the two had lived. Her lover soon claimed his own life, being unable to live without his loved one. But before he died, he cursed his father and all who were his descendants, saying that as long as he and his lover live in this lagoon, then men who hear her song shall suffer her wrath and fury._

 _The lagoon has since become a cursed place, a place where many young couples leap to their deaths to avoid being forbidden from seeing one another. In such instances, it is said that a maiden of beauty will come for the men... and the women usually die horrid deaths days later. But those who willingly claim their own lives are supposedly reborn as fish in paradise. And it is said that the maiden, if her prey is taken from her, turns into a hideous creature..._

 _Of course, there is no proof to this claim, because many have yet to even see this maiden for themselves. But if the few survivors who lived are to be believed, then it is cause for concern. So it is highly recommended to stay away from this place at night, especially during the Witching Hour..._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Mythology. It covers a wide variety of cultures and civilizations throughout history. Every culture has its own version of creation, death, and life. Sometimes even legends of sinister creatures that lurk in the night, such as the banshees of Ireland. It is often said that if one hears the wail of a banshee they will die. But is it true? Or is it a made up story? That is what many authors enjoy. Crafting new lore for their worlds," TOM explained as he closed the Legend of the Blue Lagoon file. He leaned back in his seat. "But in many universes there could be different versions of the same myth. So who knows what is true or false? And in some cases, can mythology be based on real facts? Like the supposed Six Spiral Founders. Are they really a myth? Or is it in some ways based on truth? That's up to you to decide." He pressed a button on his chair's armrest and looked at the audience. "Maybe you just don't know that it is. But like I said. It's up to you to decide whether you believe in such things."

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 ** **I **t's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (****** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 ** **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (**** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 ** **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (**** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 ** ** **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (****** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face_ **)**

 ** ** **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (****** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 ** ** **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (****** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 ** ** **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (****** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The scene shows a sinister eye with a slit for the pupil before it pans to the side to show two catlike eyes in its place_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure's eyes flash as a dark glow encompasses the screen, horrific images appearing along the edges of the screen_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ )

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large Ursa Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing the woman with the sword standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _She thrusts her sword forward and slashes with it, generating a fiery shockwave that explodes against the closest Grimm, thick smoke covering the screen before it fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it comes upon an island shrouded in shadow and ruin_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _Snow is falling on this island, engulfing the remains of battle in a thick layer of white like so many ghosts of the past long forgotten_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The island remains are shown from a distance as a cloaked figure in a white cape and hood stands atop a cliff_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The figure leaps off, throwing open its cape before a wave of blue energy streaks out from the sword on its left arm_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The wave explodes against a Grimm and the figure lands, running into the mist before vanishing like a ghost_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The mist parts as the woman wielding the shotgun aims it and pulls the trigger, sending shells right for the mechanical-organic forms of Spindle Grimm as they scuttle along the ground_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The Spindles skitter left and right to avoid as she steps back into the mist and vanishes_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The mist is blown aside as the man with the broadsword attacks, unleashing a wave of razor air right for the Spindles as they come out of the darkness of the night_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The Spindles are destroyed and turn into smoke as he whips around, his Aura seething a light purple in color as he charges_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the camera pans to the left, showing the woman with her hammer thrusting it at one of the Beetle Destroyer Grimm attacking her_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _She is surrounded, but then she draws back her hammer and slams it into the ground, knocking them back and destroying them as the smoke fades, showing the ruins from before_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc I: Uncovering Legends**

* * *

I was finally able to get some recharge, but only after we had come up with a system for getting me up if I shut down my audios for the night. (Tina or Rik was to shake me awake in the morning.)

When morning came, I was roused from recharge by Tina shaking my shoulder guard.

I brought my optics online and looked around, slowly bringing my audios back to full functionality. Rik was by now awake, and he was sitting against the wall, his blue eyes locked onto the spot where that puddle had been last night.

"Something up?" Tina asked him as I got out of bed and stretched, feeling my wings and joints pop. A yawn escaped my vocalizer, even though I no longer needed to.

"Hm. Yes. That puddle... something seemed off about it," the white warrior admitted. "I'm actually a bit disturbed by that."

"You're not the only one," I remarked.

My words seemed to have caught his attention and he turned to look at me. "Ah. Good. You're awake."

I nodded. "Yeah. So... what's bothering you about that puddle?" I asked him.

Rik didn't say a thing, but the way he was tense indicated something was up. Had I been able to, I would've cocked an eyebrow, but instead I inclined my helm to the side. I let it go, however, figuring he'd tell us when he was ready.

"Personally I think we should check out the spot where that puddle was," he suddenly said, catching both me and Tina off guard.

"Say what?!" Tina blurted. "After what happened last night?! Hell no!"

But the warrior wasn't having any of it. "Listen! Something is terribly wrong here, and I want to know just what the hell is going on!" he shouted, his voice holding an authoritative tone that caught me off guard. He sounded just like a commander or something like one. I felt a surprising urge to face and salute him, but I squashed it and remained where I was. "And I think... it has to do with that puddle."

I dimmed my optics and crossed my arms. "Hmm."

Tina was silent as she glared at him, blue eyes meeting blue. Her eyes narrowed. For a moment it seemed like there would be a brawl, and I mentally grimaced, but prepared to intervene if necessary.

But thankfully it didn't come to it. Instead, Tina huffed and folded her arms. "Okay. Say that we did find something. What would we do then?"

"We'll cross that data stream when we come to it," Rik said.

I jerked my gaze to him and my optics flashed a little in confusion. "What?" I inclined my helm a bit.

He seemed to blush a little and turned away. "I mean we'll deal with that matter when we come to it," he muttered.

However, that statement _did_ make me wonder if Rik was hiding something big.

I chose to ignore it for the moment and turned my gaze back to Tina. "Think we should go with his idea?" I asked her.

She just shrugged. "Could be worth checking out, but I'm still hesitant on it, to be honest. I don't think we should, actually. But still..."

I frowned to myself in my thoughts. "Okay. How about this? We go to check it out, but at the first sign of trouble, we'll leave. Sound fair?"

Tina wasn't too sure, but after a bit of thinking, she nodded. "All right. Sounds fair."

I nodded back and turned my gaze to Rik. "Okay, Rik. We've decided. We'll tag along to the puddle. But if there's trouble, we're leaving."

The warrior hummed a little as he considered my proposition. After a few minutes, he looked up, his blue eyes meeting my violet optics. "Fair enough," he agreed.

A sigh escaped my vents as he turned and we started to prepare for the next leg of the investigation.

Breakfast went by smoothly and soon we were on our way. Tina led the way because I had no clue as to where we were going, let alone how I had gotten there last night. I brushed aside some tree branches with my shield, tailing behind her and Rik, who was cutting a path with his sword. I hated to admit, but that sword of his was very handy. When it came to thick brush, he cut a path using his Transcendence Sword attack.

We finally arrived at the puddle's location in fifteen minutes.

Only when we got there, what we saw was not a puddle... but a lagoon. And a rather big one.

My optics flashed in disbelief as Rik stared and Tina's mouth fell open. "What...the...hell...?" she whispered.

The lagoon before us was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. The water was so clear and calm I could see the bottom of it. Fish and other wildlife swam in its depths, and underwater plant life flowed and swayed gently with the currents. And in the middle of it sat a crystalline rock that looked as if it had been carved by a giant's gentle hand. The edges were so smooth and elegant, it resembled more of a jewel than a rock. Lush vegetation and greenery dotted the edges of the lagoon and a white sandy beach reached out to welcome us to this wondrous place.

"Last night... there was a puddle here!" Rik muttered in confusion. "I know there was!"

"I know!" Tina whispered. "But... what happened to it?"

That was the mystery.

I mentally frowned as I remembered waking up underwater, and _not_ in a mere puddle of water. Something about this was terribly wrong, and I wanted to get to the bottom of it.

So I started looking around.

But of course, there was nothing left except a bunch of skeletons I unearthed from the beach. I grunted as I lowered the skull I had uncovered with my metallic hands. "Dammit... nothing here but a bunch of skeletons."

Tina hurried over to my side, her eyes locking onto the skull I held. "Oh..."

Rik was silent as he observed it. "..."

I tossed it aside and stood up, looking around and briefly glancing at the pile of bones in a heap beside the hole I had dug. "So much for that..." I muttered. I turned and prepared to head back to the path we had cut...

Only to halt as my radar blared in my head.

I whipped around and barely dodged an arrow as it lodged itself in the ground beside my feet. Tina was on the move, her rapier in her hand and her Aura flaring as Rik summoned out his sword before cutting through another arrow as it came at him.

"Who's there?!" I shouted, my voice echoing over the calm lagoon.

For a moment there was nothing but silence. And it only served to add to the eerie atmosphere of the location around us. My optics flicked left and right as Tina hefted her weapon, her Semblance ready to activate at a moment's notice. Rik on the other hand was as calm as a cucumber, but the way his body was tense indicated that he was more than ready to fight if it came down to it.

Then we heard it.

Footsteps.

Slowly coming towards us through the brush. My frame tensed, every hydraulic and system poised for attack. My hands clenched on my beam magnum and I aimed it at the brush, finger just barely pressing the trigger. Tina snapped her weapon into its whip form while Rik's sword began to glow with blue energy.

A hand emerged from the brush.

My finger clenched the trigger tighter.

And then a man's head poked out of the brush.

I was so surprised I released the trigger before a sufficient charge had built up to fire. Tina spotted the man as well and her Aura vanished as Rik's sword ceased to glow.

"Who are you?" I asked stupidly.

Tina glanced at me like I was nuts and jabbed me with an elbow, right in the side where my psychoframe was exposed. I grunted at the feeling and rubbed it. Rik on the other hand calmly studied this man as he emerged fully from the brush around us.

Now I could see he was armed with a bow and a quiver of arrows. Rather primitive, but very deadly if laced with Dust. He wore a sort of primitive tunic with pants and moccasins on his feet. His beard and hair were laced with feathers, and he wore tribal markings on his face. He frowned as he studied us for a moment before he took in the presence of our gear and equipment. Realization and recognition dawned in his eyes as he lowered his bow. "Outsiders..." he whispered.

The three of us tensed and prepared for a fight.

But much to our surprise - and relief - he didn't raise his weapon, but instead replaced them on his person and stood up. "It has been far too long since we have seen outsiders. Not since the time of the Invasion," he remarked with a smile of relief on his face.

"Invasion..." My voice trailed off as I pondered those words. Then I looked up. "You mean the attack from the Grimm, right?"

The man nodded. "Yes. The day the Grimm came was the Day of Invasion." His smile faded as he looked directly at all three of us. "And the loss of our home."

I knew what he meant by that. I had seen it all too well, with how much of the island was destroyed... and by how many skeletons littered the landscape. "I'm sorry for the loss..." I said softly. "...of everything."

"Do not apologize, Outsider, for it was not your fault," the man said, trying to brush off my apology. "It was the Wicked Ones that summoned them."

Rik cocked his head as Tina arched an eyebrow and I inclined my helm a bit. "Wicked Ones?" The three of us were baffled at his statement.

"Yes. Those accursed Wicked Ones... born of flesh, but infused with Evil..." the man growled.

My optics flared at those words. "Fallen!" I hissed, my fists clenching.

The man was silent. "Yes. Those you call Fallen." He then turned his gaze towards the lagoon with its 'jewel' in the center. "Much like the Wicked One of the Lagoon..."

I turned my head to look in the direction of the so-called jewel. "Wicked One of the Lagoon?" I repeated.

Our companion was silent before he turned and beckoned. "Come. It is not safe here. Even during the day, there is always a chance the Wailing Woman could call you down here. And I have no wish to see others fall to her wailing song."

For some reason the way he said it sent shivers down my back struts and I gulped nervously, feeling my reactor increase its humming within my chest. Rik's blue eyes narrowed as Tina shuddered at his tone. The three of us followed our companion into the brush, only to suddenly stop as more men and some women emerged, aiming their bows and arrows at all of us. I instinctively threw my shield in front of my chest and face as Tina activated her Aura and Rik's sword began to glow again.

"Halt!" one of the men said. "You shall go no further!"

"Othmar! Cease at once! These are Outsiders!" the man shouted, holding up his hand. "They mean us no harm!"

"How can you say that, Gaufrid?!" Othmar blurted, his deep brown eyes widening in shock. "They could be with the Wicked Ones! You know what happened last time!"

Gaufrid was silent as he pondered the other man's words. I tensed in anticipation of a strike, or a hail of arrows. Behind me Tina and Rik also poised to defend themselves.

"Othmar... These Outsiders do not act upon the will of the Wicked Ones. Otherwise they would have attacked as soon as I revealed myself. Instead they let me come close to them," Gaufrid said gently. "I understand you only seek to protect our way of life, but trust me. They are not with the Wicked Ones."

Othmar's eyes hardened before he turned to look at us, and after studying us critically, nodded. "As you wish."

Gaufrid turned to face us again. "I must apologize for my companion's behavior. Recent events have led him to become rather hostile towards Outsiders such as you."

"Forget it," I said, dismissing it with a wave of my hand. "We'll deal with that when it comes down to it. Right now, there's a lot that I want to ask you. And I'd prefer to do it someplace not so close to that lagoon."

The man nodded and turned to face his hunting party - if that's what they were. He simply held up his hands. "Cease and stand down, my warriors. These Outsiders mean us no harm."

The hunting party lowered their weapons, although some did with the utmost reluctance. And actually I couldn't blame them. They had every reason to be cautious and hesitant; after all, we were basically outsiders with weapons and powers that they did not. (Well, technically I lacked the powers, but my frame did give me some equivalent abilities with the hardware equipped to it, so I guess it kind of counted)

Anyway, we were led through the brush and away from the lagoon. Some of the hunting party went ahead of us and parted the brush and brambles, allowing us an easier passage through. We finally emerged from the surrounding jungle and forest into a clearing of sorts, and right in the center of it was a small cluster of wooden and stone huts, along with a cavern further back in a cliffside that overlooked a river. Women worked on cleaning and making clothing while some cooked in a massive fire pit. The smell of cooking fish and meat reached the noses of the humans and Rik, along with my olfactory sensors.

Gaufrid guided us past a few of the children as they ran and darted between our legs. Rik actually had to backpedal briefly so he didn't get knocked down by two boys who looked like they could be brothers.

Most of the people in this small village were wary of us and some of the men shielded the women as if we were going to harm them. I snorted to myself. There was just no way I could even... well... do _it_ in this frame. That was one of the downsides, but it was also a benefit as I couldn't actually do that despicable deed to any woman. (Although the though never really crossed my mind, I just have to put that tidbit into the log to assure the future generations that I never did that kind of act on any woman.) I brushed the thoughts aside and looked back towards the center hut as we drew closer.

Now that I could see it up close, it resembled one of those old Germanic homes from Germany during the time of the 13 Kingdoms. I could see it did possess some of the same structural attributes, but it also held a more modern appearance of sorts. I guessed it to have been built fairly early in the aftermath of the Grimm attack.

The three of us were led inside and the door closed behind us as Gaufrid gestured to us to sit in front of the main table. I wasn't too keen on it, but out of respect, I took a seat beside Tina and Rik on the other side.

"So, what do you wish to know?" he asked.

"Well, first off..." My voice trailed off as I wracked my processor for a question. But Tina beat me to it.

"What exactly is this... Wailing Woman?" she asked. I jerked my head to look at her and I swore my optics did widen a bit.

Gaufrid hummed as he closed his eyes and bowed his head. He placed his hands on the table in front of his face and tented them. I wondered if he was going to throw us out, but then he slowly lifted his head and opened his eyes.

I actually swore my reactor stopped humming for the briefest of instances at how dark his eyes had become, not with lust, but with pure _hate_. I worried briefly if it was going to attract any Grimm, but then as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. "The Wailing Woman..."

We all leaned in a bit.

"The Wailing Woman is a legend in this part of Flowertopia. Despite persistent denials by the mainstream community upon the mainlands, there is evidence to prove she is as real as the world around us," Gaufrid said grimly (no pun intended, I know).

"How is she real?" I asked finally. "I mean..."

The leader - that's the only word I could use to describe him - of the village was silent for a brief moment. "She is real. Her song is what calls men to her at night when we sleep. The song... her Siren Call... it always makes them subject to her will. No one has been able to resist it, least of all ignore it."

I remembered the strange dream I had and shuddered. "Tell me about it..." I muttered lowly.

"And some have said to even have seen her," Gaufrid continued, "before being rescued by their friends or loved ones." His eyes hardened as he scanned all three of us. "But alas, many have fallen to her wicked song and have not returned."

"So... has anyone actually _seen_ her?" Tina asked.

Rik snorted from beside me. I looked at him in confusion as, much to my surprise, a hand emerged from that dino-head thing on his left arm. He tapped the fingers repeatedly on the wooden table. "Somehow I doubt that to be likely," he admitted. His blue eyes narrowed and hardened. "Unless there's a good reason she's remained hidden all this time."

I shuddered at the way he said this.

"Hm..." Gaufrid was silent for a moment. "There have been rumors, but no real firsthand accounts, as they are usually dismissed as dreams by those who have been rescued." He frowned. "So we cannot be sure as to what she looks like."

"What kind of dreams?" I asked suddenly.

Gaufrid cocked an eyebrow. "Why do you wish to know?" he wondered.

"Because..." My voice trailed off as I wracked my processor for a sufficient story to tell without revealing what I had experienced myself. "...if we know... how many dreams were the same, then we can start to paint a picture of how she might look... until we see otherwise." I secretly prayed for him to believe the story.

The man frowned, but nodded. "Very well." He slowly closed his eyes. "All the men who were rescued described their dreams with differing levels of accuracy and detail, but one thing that they all had in common was a lagoon..." His eyes suddenly snapped open, as hard as ice. "... and a woman. A woman of pure beauty, long of leg, blonde hair and blue eyes with nothing but a gown to conceal her naked body. They all reported feeling strange urges of lust, something they found terrifying. And then they were usually awoken by their friends or loved ones."

' _Just like what I experienced!_ ' I thought in shock.

"Did... Did they usually wake up... Where did they wake up?" I asked, suddenly getting a bad feeling in my lower torso.

"They were usually awakened on the waters of the lagoon at night,' Gaufrid explained.

That clinched it for me. Had I been human, my heart would've plunged right into my stomach. But as it was, it felt like my reactor had fallen through my frame to the floor beneath me.

We were dealing with a new kind of enemy. And I didn't like it one bit.

* * *

 _"Ah. I see he has come far."_

 _"Yes. And of the witch?"_

 _"You mean_ her? _"_

 _"Yes. How has she fared after our... agreement?"_

 _"As you know, she failed to tempt the Gundam. His companions disrupted her song. And now..."_

 _"Calm yourself. I have a feeling she's got a trick or two up her sleeve..."_

 _"I hope you are correct. For I do not like it, this arrangement you have with her."_

 _"She will succeed. I promised her a reward if she succeeded."_

 _"What kind of a reward?"_

 _"Something she has needed for a long time. And I must admit... she is quite ravishing for a creature of the sea..."_

 _"You are a leech."_

 _"No. I admit I do find myself smitten with her, but this is only for convenience. Still, it is good to have some companionship, is it not...?"_

* * *

That evening saw us in the village not too far from the lagoon. The sun was beginning to set as people feasted and gathered around the fire for a telling of stories, something we had been invited to partake in, but we declined. I especially didn't want to deal with them right now as I had a lot on my mind at the moment. Mostly concerning the lagoon and the strange woman who lured men to her in their sleep.

We knew a bit about her, but we didn't know _much_ about her, other than what we had learned and witnessed. Personally I found it disturbing and rather creepy on so many levels. But the biggest thing that I wanted to know was... _where had she come from_?

 _That_ was the question that was niggling at my processor. But unfortunately, Gaufrid, our guide and the leader of the village, had nothing to say about that. Not even the village elders had any clue. It was as if the Wailing Woman didn't exist.

And yet my experience had proven to me that something _did_ exist. And it was after the men of this island.

I shuddered a bit and grasped my arms and rubbed them. "Man... This just keeps getting creepier and creepier..." I muttered.

"Hey, Joseph?"

I jerked and yelped as I whirled around to face Tina who stood not too far from me. "Geez! You scared me!" I murmured, rubbing my chest. "And..."

"Don't worry. Rik's gone out to do some scouting for us," she assured me.

"Okay." I nodded, feeling rather relieved at that. "So, you were gonna ask me something?"

"I was wondering if you were all right," she remarked, looking at me with worry in her eyes.

"I'm fine," I assured her. "I'm just trying to figure out what we're gonna do about this Wailing Woman."

Tina pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Well... based on what we know, it's certain that she goes for men."

"I know," I replied. "But... why did she pick me? I mean... I'm not even..." I lowered my voice in case anyone was listening in. "I'm not even human anymore."

She nodded, remembering my condition and circumstances. "I remember that," she whispered. "But... truthfully, until we know more, I can only assume she'll try to lure you in again."

I nodded in response, feeling a shudder racing down my back struts.

The two of us sat there for a few minutes more before I heard something that sounded like footsteps. I turned as the brush moved and Rik emerged, his white cape covered in leaves and a bit of mud.

"No sign of any Grimm in the area," he reported. "We're clear."

"For now..." I mused. "We can never really tell what they'll do."

Tina was silent as she pondered my words. In truth, we had no idea as to how Grimm thought, let alone how they even fought. And actually, my very processor was racing as I tried to piece together any idea as to what Grimm would attack us, or whatever.

I finally was forced to relent and sighed.

After a few more hours, during which Rik and Tina had dinner, we finally fell asleep and I fell into recharge. But this time I was sure to mute my audios in case something happened. I wasn't about to be lured to my potential death a second time.

As I fell into recharge though, I couldn't help but become worried. Who would the Wailing Woman lure in next?

* * *

I was shaken awake abruptly by Tina later that night.

I slowly brought my optics online and once the familiar HUD retreated to my peripheral vision and the static cleared, I brought my audios online. "W...Whuzzgoinon?" I muttered around a yawn (not that I needed to yawn, but still).

Tina's eyes were wide as she spoke. "About time you woke! We got trouble!" she hissed.

And that's when I heard it.

My optics flashed in shock as I recognized that beautiful, angelic voice.

"Oh, shit...!" I muttered. I was on my feet in a flash, grabbing my beam magnum and shield before throwing on my cloak. "What's going on?" I asked Tina as we left the makeshift guesthouse.

"Long story short..." Tina's voice trailed off as she gestured ahead of us.

We skidded to a stop and ducked behind the cover of one of the stone buildings and peeked around the corner. I swore my reactor ceased to function at the sight of thirteen men wandering down the path, and one of them was none other than Gaufrid. "This..."

I suddenly realized we were missing someone. "Where's Rik?!" I blurted in a whisper.

Tina simply pointed. I turned my gaze back to the line of men, and I felt like my reactor plummeted to the ground beneath my frame.

Behind them, wandering with a glazed look in those blue eyes, was Rik himself.

I felt a strange fury surfacing within my chest and I clenched my fists. "Dammit...!" I muttered.

"C'mon!" Tina hissed. "We gotta stop this!"

I nodded, feeling my resolve hardening. I flashed my optics in determination as I grasped my beam magnum in my hands after removing it from my flight pack's mounting. The whole situation was as eerie as hell, and I had to admit, I was worried. What if we didn't make it in time? What if the Wailing Woman had other powers other than to seduce men with her song?

That was an unknown, and it worried me to no end.

The two of us continued to follow the line of men, making sure we stayed as far back as possible, but due to their entranced state, it wasn't likely they'd even see us anyway. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry, right?

We finally came to the lagoon not even fifteen minutes later.

Or rather where it used to be, at least from our perspective at the time.

In the middle of where the lagoon once stood was a small puddle, the moon shining faintly in its shallow depths. I dimmed my optics a shade as I zoomed in on the puddle, taking note of how it seemed to shimmer and pulse in the moon's faint light. The pulses seemed to resemble that of a human heartbeat, with how rhythmic and steady they were. I inched a bit closer to the edge of where the lagoon had been, but was careful to avoid creeping too close.

I ducked down as I heard the footsteps of the line coming. I peeped through the brush a bit, and I was surprised to see the men finally stop at the edge of the dried lagoon.

Gaufrid slowly took a step forward...

And at that point everything changed.

His foot landed on something shimmering, and it didn't descend. He took another step, and another, and another, until it became clear to me he was walking on not dry land or mud, but _water_. He was _walking on water! He was fuckin' walking on water!_ My optics flashed brightly in my disbelief, and had I been human, they'd be wide with shock and disbelief at the very scene playing out before my optics.

Gaufrid continued to walk, the water seeming to shimmer and solidify, almost as if it were becoming like glass or something, but at the same time maintaining its liquid properties. I wasn't too sure if this was a trick of the light or my optics were malfunctioning, or something else. But whatever was going on, it was not normal. I crept closer, using the darkness of the night, along with my dark colored armor and cloak, to remain unseen. I made sure to replace my beam magnum on my flight pack so I didn't lose it as I inched closer to the lagoon.

But something was niggling at me.

I paused, listening to the soft lilting tones of the song. It was so beautiful, and yet...

There were no words.

No lyrics.

Just a beautiful voice making music.

So then what was really happening here?

I inched closer to the pool...

And my foot slipped on a loose rock.

I yelped as I lost my balance, falling down the slippery hillside towards the lagoon below. The inky black water seemed to take on a rocky texture and my reactor began to race within my chest as I flipped over so I wasn't sliding down on my aft. My hands grasped onto the hillside, my metal fingertips digging into the soft earth, leaving small gashes in the ground as I slid. My optics flashed as I dug my fingers in deeper, trying to find something to grasp, particularly a rock or something. Finally, I felt my fingers collide with something hard and I nearly dislocated both shoulder joints as I jerked to a halt.

My arms ached from the surprise jolt, but other than that, I was fine. I looked back over my shoulder at the water beneath me, and I shivered at how smooth it seemed to become, like obsidian. There was no sound, either. No waves lapping at the shore, not even a slight ripple. I lifted my gaze back to the sight of Gaufrid walking across the water, but as before there was no sound or no ripples, although the water shimmered every time his feet made contact with the water.

' _Something's wrong here..._ ' I thought to myself. ' _And I don't like it._ '

And boy, was I right.

The last thing I expected was to be present when _she_ made her appearance.

A faint shimmering glow began to rise from the middle of the puddle, the water bubbling slowly around it. My optics flashed in shock as the thing started to take on a human shape, becoming long and willowy, a faint whisper coming from where its mouth would've been. Its 'hands' reached out towards Gaufrid as he continued to make his way across the lagoon, shaping themselves into human hands. Long flowing locks of hair morphed into existence, and the luminous flesh became as white as the moon above. Glowing white gossamer clothing flowed around a curvy, buxom body, the assets barely concealed by the fabric as it blew in a nonexistent breeze. Thick, full, plump lips surfaced and curled upward into a gentle smile.

I swore my frame was heating up at that moment, but for some reason, it was not as pronounced as when I had first had that dream. I was able to easily squash any urges for the Wailing Woman as she finished materializing into the realm of mortals.

And then her eyes...

Glowing white eyelids snapped open, exposing darkened orbs that made me gasp in shock and horror.

There was nothing in those black holes. Nothing at all. Not even a speck of an eyeball. It was like they didn't exist. And they seemed to be made of the same blackness as the Pool of Darkness, seeming to draw anyone into them.

My reactor was now whirring loudly in my audio receptors in my terror. I tore my violet gaze from those horrific pools of inky blackness and started to scramble up the slippery hillside, but it was too late.

My foot slipped and I lost my balance, plunging straight into the darkness of the waters below.

I landed with a loud splash in the water.

And then the woman jerked her head in my direction. I barely had time to close my vents and duck under the water to avoid that awful gaze. I shivered as I huddled under the surface of the water, clinging to the rocky side of the lagoon. I swore I was going to pass out from the horror and terror I was feeling, but I somehow managed to stay focused and somewhat calm, even if I was terrified out of my wits.

The Woman averted her gaze and returned to her current prey, Gaufrid.

She started to whisper, her lilting song wafting out over the area. Well, maybe not, as it was muffled underwater. That gave me a sense of relief as I pushed off the side of the cliff, starting to swim my way over to her location. As I drew closer, it soon became clear that she was starting to sink down into the water, Gaufrid following her. My reactor started to hum louder and I began to panic. I looked around frantically for any place to hide, and my optics landed on the center of the lagoon.

Much to my surprise and utter relief there was a stone column there, and atop it was that same jewel I had seen yesterday! But the jewel itself was pulsing, sending out some kind of light waves that affected the water to some degree. I wasn't sure as to what was happening, but this was a big break. I made my way closer to it and grasped onto the side of the stone column, plastering myself to it as the Woman and her latest captive finally submerged into the water around us.

I watched with worry in my optics as the Woman began to caress Gaufrid's face, her soulless black eyes seeming to drink in his weathered features and scarred face. She began to coo, and I tensed as I could clearly hear her words.

"So handsome..." she purred, her voice tinged with a strange echo. "Such a rugged man..."

Gaufrid didn't answer, but he embraced her and pressed his lips to hers. She returned the gesture, her hands starting to claw down his back, stripping off his top to expose his muscular build and body. I almost hissed through my vents, but instead a low growl issued from my vocalizer. I had to clamp a hand over my faceplate to try and muffle it.

Her groans and moans filled the undersea world, and I had to fight the urge to mute my audio receptors. I needed to listen to try and figure out what was going on.

Gaufrid's own groans filtered down to me moments later and then...

It happened.

I wasn't sure as to why, but I suddenly got a serious twinge in my processor, enough to cause me some pain as my hand flew to my helm as I yelped.

The Woman jerked her head away from her prey, and she slowly floated over to the edge of the column. She swept those eyes around, scouring for my presence, but I was by now plastered flat against the side of the column, my reactor racing big time within my chest. I swore my optics were wider than usual due to my terror, which was saying something considering the fact I was no longer flesh and blood.

She finally scowled and turned back to her prey, and as she did so, I chanced a peek out from underneath the stone platform upon which the jewel rested. And I saw her luscious lips curl upward into a sneer, exposing rows of sharp teeth, not unlike those in a shark.

I gasped to myself as she proceeded to lick at Gaufrid's neck with her tongue, as if preparing to take a love bite. But in reality, she was preparing to do more than take a love bite.

And I was not about to let that happen.

My hands clenched into fists as I pushed off the side of the column and with a series of powerful kicks from my legs, I was at her level in a flash. "Hey!" I shouted. "Leave him alone!"

The Woman turned to face me, and I had to avert my gaze from those dark eyes. "Well..." she purred, her voice low and seductive. "I did not expect you to show yourself again, Joseph..." she purred in a way that made a shudder run down my back struts.

"Yeah? Well, not happening again, lady!" I hissed, my fists clenching tightly. As it stood, I was completely unarmed underwater, save for my strength.

"Oh? Why not?" the Woman whispered. "Do you not want to experience what a _real_ woman is like?"

"Forget it!" I growled. "Not happening, and that's that!"

She frowned to herself. "Oh?"

I rumbled lowly. "Yes!"

The Woman scowled. "And he said you'd make a fun challenge..." she murmured.

My optics flashed a bit in the inky darkness. Something was amiss. Something big. "Who?" I asked. "Who said that?"

She seemed to take on a more mysterious and darkened air as she smiled in a mysterious manner. "If you want to know... then come and get me, big guy..." she purred lustfully.

I shuddered at the way she said it and I had to suppress a growl from my vocalizer at that.

She seemed to make a move for me, but I was already swimming away from her, relying on my powerful leg hydraulics to give myself much needed agility underwater. My optics dimmed a shade, only to flash in shock as Gaufrid started to turn pale underwater.

His air was running out.

"No!" I shouted, pivoting and darting right for him. The Woman seemed to sneer as her hand curled around his arm and she pulled him close, her strange powers giving him more air as his face regained its color.

"So... you want to play, then?" she teased.

"Bring it, bitch!" I hissed.

The Woman growled at my words. I sneered at her, my optics flashing.

That seemed to piss her off. Her lips contorted into a frown, and with those shark-like teeth exposed, it only added to her creepiness. There was no way a woman would look so beautiful and have such sinister teeth. It just completely contradicted what we knew of her.

Unless something else was going on.

I had to get Gaufrid out of there and fast.

The Woman opened her mouth and howled, letting go of her prey and swimming towards me, her long legs shifting into a mermaid's tail for greater agility underwater. My optics flashed in shock. "Oh...crap...!" I squeaked.

She lunged for me with the speed of a swordfish. It was only by pure luck I was able to avoid her charge. I twisted my frame to the left, barely avoiding her long fingernails as they extended out like claws. My right fist lashed out and collided with her face, knocking her for a loop and giving me a chance to head for Gaufrid. I kicked my legs and started swimming as fast as I could.

The Woman howled in fury as she swam towards me, moving like a torpedo. I reacted by spinning and lashing out in a kick, my foot connecting with her chest and causing her to fly back a good distance. At the same time, my hand closed around Gaufrie's left arm and I flared my wings, kicking on my flight pack in the nick of time. With a roar of my thrusters. I began to ascend rather rapidly. I felt an immense amount of relief as I finally burst through the surface of the water and into the cool night air.

And just in time, too.

Gaufrid began to cough and sputter, his eyes opening to reveal them back to normal. He blinked them repeatedly, shaking his head. "What...What happened?" he asked, seeming rather dazed.

"Long story short, you got seduced," was my only remark. He shot his gaze up to look at me, confusion flooding his features.

"What...?"

I nodded. "Yep." I started to descend, heading towards shore. I chanced a look down at the group of men and Rik, who were now coming out of their trance-like states. I hummed to myself, a theory forming in my mind. "Hmm..."

' _Seems as though a blow to the Wailing Woman is enough to snap them out of their trances. But for all I know it could only be a temporary measure. I need to be careful as I gather more data._ ' I thought to myself.

I finally spotted Tina as she ran over, her face filled with relief as I touched down on the shore. "Oh, thank goodness! I was worried when I saw you fall in," she remarked.

I couldn't help but puff my chest out and flare my wings a bit. "It'll take more than that to bring me down!" I remarked. Then I relaxed. "How are the others?"

"Just coming out of their trances. I think it be best we fall back for now," Tina said. "In case that Woman makes a move."

"I agree," a familiar deep voice remarked.

I whirled around on the spot, my hand flying for my shield to draw out my Hyper Beam Sword, only to halt at seeing it was only Rik. "It is not safe to be here."

I paused, taking note of the sudden anger and fury in those blue eyes of his. But it just wasn't that. There was also a... wild, no... _feral_... look in them. It sent shivers down my back struts. I gulped a bit. Just... what _was_ he?

I swallowed that lump in my throat. I had to ask. But with Gaufrid there...

"Just... what _are_ you?" I asked, the question escaping before I had a chance to stop it.

Rik paused, his blue eyes hardening at my question, and I instantly regretted asking. For a brief moment I feared he would up and leave, but much to my surprise he only sighed and hung his head. "Well... I did say I would inform you of my secret when I was ready. And I suppose now is as good a time as any."

He finally gestured to Gaufrid and his men. "You shall head back to the village. We will catch up shortly."

The villagers nodded and started to file out, leaving only me, Tina, and Rik.

We waited a few minutes before we began to follow, just as the jewel in the center of the lagoon began to pulse slower and slower. I shot a glance back at it with worry in my optics, but then I forced my gaze away from it as we left the lagoon behind us.

"As I said, I would tell you. So... First off, my real name is not Rik," he began. "Rather, that is just an alias I go by."

"So then..." Tina's voice trailed off.

What he said next really threw us for a loop, as well as shattered our perceptions of our world being the only one out there.

"My real name is Omnimon. And I am one of a select group of Digimon known as the Royal Knights."

* * *

 **The cat's out of the bag now! XD Stay tuned for the next chapter, peeps~! ;D**

 **Ja ne! :D**


	19. Arc I - Truth or Fiction

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: The Cataclysm_

 _A mysterious event that ended the Forgotten Age, not much is known about it. All that is clear is that a war broke out between the warriors of that time and the entities dubbed the Fallen. Who won is not clear, nor is there any real evidence about life in that time period remaining. Only remnants of that time, mostly in ancient paintings, have been found in ruins across the globe. Many archaeologists, including the renowned Secret Saturdays, have sought to find an entire intact city so as to gain information about that time period. But so far no such cities have been found._

 _At least to date._

 _Close File_

* * *

"What is the apocalypse? Well, it can take many forms, and many cultures across history and across realities have their own version of the End of Days. Of course, no one can say whether it's right or wrong. Truthfully, many ancient events could be classified as apocalyptic. Like the extinction of the dinosaurs millions of years ago. That was their apocalypse," TOM said as he closed the Cataclysm file. He leaned back in his chair and looked out at the world beneath the _Absolution_. "And in warfare, it always seems like the apocalypse comes about. But in some cases, for all we know, it could be the end of a world in one reality whereas in another the apocalypse is averted. That's the thing about alternate realities. What was an apocalypse in one world could very well be a minor nuisance in another. So, if you were face-to-face with the end of the world, would you be able to stop it? Would you survive? Or would you become one of many casualties in its aftermath?" He pressed a button on his chair's armrest and leaned back in his seat. "That's for you to decide."

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 ** **I **t's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (****** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 ** **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (**** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 ** **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (**** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 ** ** **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (****** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face_ **)**

 ** ** **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (****** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 ** ** **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (****** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 ** ** **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (****** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The scene shows a sinister eye with a slit for the pupil before it pans to the side to show two catlike eyes in its place_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure's eyes flash as a dark glow encompasses the screen, horrific images appearing along the edges of the screen_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ )

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large Ursa Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing the woman with the sword standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _She thrusts her sword forward and slashes with it, generating a fiery shockwave that explodes against the closest Grimm, thick smoke covering the screen before it fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it comes upon an island shrouded in shadow and ruin_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _Snow is falling on this island, engulfing the remains of battle in a thick layer of white like so many ghosts of the past long forgotten_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The island remains are shown from a distance as a cloaked figure in a white cape and hood stands atop a cliff_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The figure leaps off, throwing open its cape before a wave of blue energy streaks out from the sword on its left arm_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The wave explodes against a Grimm and the figure lands, running into the mist before vanishing like a ghost_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The mist parts as the woman wielding the shotgun aims it and pulls the trigger, sending shells right for the mechanical-organic forms of Spindle Grimm as they scuttle along the ground_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The Spindles skitter left and right to avoid as she steps back into the mist and vanishes_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The mist is blown aside as the man with the broadsword attacks, unleashing a wave of razor air right for the Spindles as they come out of the darkness of the night_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The Spindles are destroyed and turn into smoke as he whips around, his Aura seething a light purple in color as he charges_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the camera pans to the left, showing the woman with her hammer thrusting it at one of the Beetle Destroyer Grimm attacking her_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _She is surrounded, but then she draws back her hammer and slams it into the ground, knocking them back and destroying them as the smoke fades, showing the ruins from before_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc I: Truth or Fiction**

* * *

"My real name is Omnimon. And I am one of a select group of Digimon known as the Royal Knights."

As soon as he finished speaking, I swore my reactor ceased to function completely. I just stood there, dazed at what he had said. In fact, I would've still stood there until the next day if Tina didn't shove my shoulder with her hand. I yelped and rubbed the back of my helm, coughing in embarrassment. "Sorry..." I rasped.

Tina merely shook her head as she turned to face Rik... or Omnimon, really.

"Did you just say... Digimon?" she asked warily.

The white-clad warrior nodded. "Yes. It stands for Digital Monster. Digimon is what we term ourselves, because it is easier for people in the Real World to say."

"Real World..." My voice trailed off as my optics dimmed a shade. "You mean like our world, right?"

Omnimon nodded. "Yes. Except..." His voice trailed off as he cast his blue gaze around the wooded path, as if scanning for any possible eavesdroppers. My radar was going as well, and thankfully there was nothing present at the moment.

Once he was sure we were alone, Omnimon closed his eyes and sighed. "Okay. What I am about to tell you may sound crazy, but..."

"We've seen crazier," I remarked, brushing it aside. "Trust me on that one."

The... Digimon... looked up, his eyes opening at my comment. "Very well. I am not even from this world."

"We already know. You told us," Tina stated. "Why?"

But he only shook his head. "No. You fail to understand. I am not from this world at all. And actually, the Digital World, where I am from, does not exist here. Rather... I am from a different dimension altogether. In my home dimension, the Real and Digital Worlds both exist, side by side. But here... there is no equivalent," he clarified.

"Hold up. You mean to tell us you're from a different _dimension?!_ " I breathed, my optics flashing in shock.

Omnimon nodded his head. "Yes. I am."

"Then... how did you get here?" Tina asked.

"That I do not know," Omnimon explained. "All I remember is fighting against a... former comrade of mine... and then waking up here. I was with another, a fellow Royal Knight, and we apparently both got separated somehow."

I was stunned by this information. "You were brought here by an unknown means?" I asked.

The Digimon nodded. "That is correct." He cast his blue gaze around the area, as if scanning for any eavesdroppers again. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but to be on the safe side, I conducted my own radar sweep.

And that proved to be a good decision, as my radar began to act up, and I felt my reactor leap into my throat at the very sight of all the reddish black dots moving into view on the screen. "Oh, shit..." I muttered.

"What?" Tina asked, her eyes looking around with fear and worry in them.

"Grimm." That was all I said. And it was all that needed to _be_ said.

Grimm were surrounding us.

And we were trapped.

But there was something off about these Grimm. I couldn't put a finger on it, but it seemed as if they weren't so much Grimm, but...

A scream resonated from further down the path, right from where the village was. My optics snapped over in that direction and I turned. "We got trouble!" I called. "Back at the village!"

"Duh! We heard it, too!" Tina snapped as she bolted ahead of me and Omnimon. I grasped my beam magnum and pulled it free from my flight pack as I ran, easily catching up to her. Omnimon was right beside us a moment later, his sword flashing as he drew it out... or rather summoned it. (That _still_ gives me the willies.)

We arrived at the village shortly after, only to come into a scene of absolute chaos and horror. I swore my optics bugged out at the sight before us, and beside me Tina was in shock while Omnimon merely blinked his wide blue eyes.

All throughout the village people were running and screaming, the men scooping up either the children or women as they fled from the skeletal figures as they darted and weaved through the buildings with ease, their bones clattering and rattling in the midst of all the chaos. Their reddish eyes glowed like so many nightlights and the cackling and shuddering rattle of breath seemed to add to the mood, and I reacted on instinct, aiming and firing my beam magnum at the closest of the skeletal shapes.

The beam shot struck the skeletal figure and exploded, scattering bones every which way. I stared in shock at the sudden clattering of bone on the ground, mostly because for once I had seen a real life skeleton _moving_ and _acting_ like it was still _alive!_ I slowly lowered my gun, only to gasp as I heard the rest of the skeletons in the camp starting to come towards me! I began to shake, my armor clattering against my metallic hide as I staggered back, trying to keep my gun aimed at the clustering figures of bone. "S-S-Stay back!" I squeaked.

Omnimon was on the move at that point, his sword flashing and cutting through a few of the skeletons with ease. He landed beside me and Tina leapt into the fray, her rapier whip curling around her lithe body as she flipped, snapping it out and causing one of the skeletons to freeze solid thanks to the ice Dust. She gracefully touched down, standing beside me on my other side.

I glanced at both of them, feeling relief surging through me. "Thanks!" I remarked.

Tina smiled. "No problem, Dracon," she remarked with a teasing wink.

I felt my faceplate flush a nice red color before I coughed and turned my gaze back to the fight.

The skeletons continued to approach us, and we tensed before we went on the attack.

I had to admit, this was a bit too easy for us. I mean, sure they were numerous, but it was just a matter of dodging their strikes and shattering them into just piles of bones. But what we didn't realize was that the skeletons were _not_ just regular skeletons.

As I swung my shield around to bash one of the skeletons, I failed to notice one reforming behind me until its bony hands curled around my neck and then it pulled, with uncanny strength, toppling me flat onto my back. I grunted from the impact, and then I found myself staring into those reddish eyes, and then its fingers began to squeeze the armor around my neck. I gasped and on instinct I slugged the skeleton with one metal fist, shattering it into many bones once more, and I scrambled to my feet, scanning around with my sensors and radar.

And this time, I was able to see what exactly was happening around us.

The skeletons that we had just shattered were starting to reassemble from piles of bones into their original humanoid forms. Although, there was something else that was disturbing about them.

A few of them were also seeming to act independently, usually by staying back from the rest of the horde, and it seemed they were also giving out orders to the other skeletons. Which was odd, to say the least.

My optics dimmed a shade as I gripped my beam magnum in my hands and tried to take another shot, only for a few skeletons to swarm towards me. I was forced to leap to the side, landing on my feet before I holstered my magnum on my flight pack. I wasn't about to risk firing it at full power, lest I miss and hit someone. That was something I wanted to avoid at all costs, as any Huntsman knew that casualties could lead to a tainted record.

Well, in some cases. I wasn't about to take that risk, though. And as it stood, the one weapon I had that may actually be able to do some damage to these things was my beam burst gun. I glanced at Tina and Omnimon as they kept up the attack before I took in air through my intakes to calm my figurative nerves. I wasn't too keen on using my most powerful weapon at this point, but what choice did I have?

I held up my right arm and my beam burst gun swung into position, the gun itself positioned just above my hand. I clenched my hand into a fist before I aimed the gun at the closest batch of skeletons. My optics glowed faintly as my targeting system kicked in, and I saw the reticle split into six different reticles. I smirked in my thoughts, although my reactor was humming loudly in my audio receptors as I pulled the mental trigger. I hoped with all my being that my shots hit the skeletons and nothing else.

The reddish beam blasted out of the gun's barrel, splitting off into six different shots - each one homing in on the skeletons, much to my immense relief.

The skeletons cried out as the shots hit them, setting their skeletal bodies on fire. They flailed and squirmed, writhing in agony as the flames ate away at the energy holding them together.

Then thick black smoke emerged from their chests and heads, floating up and taking on the shape of a Geist before vanishing into thick black smoke. My optics flashed in shock at the sight, and I realized at once what we were dealing with.

Skeleton Grimm.

But they needed a name to fit them, and Skeletons just wasn't going to cut it. And given how they acted a bit like ghouls from one of those horror films I had seen as a kid... Yeah. That would work.

The Skeleghouls - original, I know - lunged for us again, forcing me to dodge their next attacks. Tina by now was not doing so well, so I ran as fast as I could to intercept and I fired off a second spread shot from my beam burst gun, the six shots striking a few Skeleghouls surrounding her and Omnimon. Both glanced back as I started to make my way out of the smoke, my cloak billowing behind me, my beam burst gun resting just above my right hand and my shield glinting in the light from the flames. (Tina told me how I looked so I could put that into the log.) I flashed my optics a bit as I came to a stop. "You guys all right?" I asked.

Tina nodded, her face streaked with sweat. "Yeah... Thanks, Dracon," she rasped.

Omnimon merely rolled his eyes, but I could tell he too was relieved. His sword was pulsing with that blue energy, but I knew it wouldn't be enough to cut through to the Geist at the center of the Skeleghoul. He locked his blue eyes onto my violet optics. "Mind explaining what happened here?" he asked, gesturing to the Geists as they vanished into black smog from the flames.

I held up my right arm to show off my beam burst gun. "Long story short, you gotta incinerate the bones," I pointed out. "And as it stands, I'm the only one with a gun capable of unleashing a wide spread shot."

"So you're saying to leave this to you then?" Omnimon asked with narrowed eyes.

"No. Just saying so you know to dodge when I fire it," I remarked, lowering my arm. "You're still gonna be needed. But I'll handle the majority of the fighting now. You gotta get these people to safety. I don't wanna risk misfiring and hitting someone."

"And Tina?" Omnimon inquired.

"She'll be with me. She's got fire Dust," I said.

The warrior scowled, or at least I thought he did, but he relented and turned, running back to the village center to try and lure as many people as he could out of danger. Tina looked at me as I backed up to her. "You want me to stick around?" she asked, a bit shocked.

I nodded. "Yeah. I could use all the help I can get. Plus, as it stands, Omnimon's good, but he can't do much against these guys," I pointed out. "He'll be better defending the civilians."

She nodded back, but I could tell she wasn't too sure about it. And frankly, neither was I, to be honest.

But it was better than letting him sit on the sidelines.

Tina's rapier began to seethe with fire on the blade as I aimed my beam burst gun again.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

We both lunged into the fray as the Skeleghouls began to swarm towards us. I fired my gun a few times, the shots splitting into eighteen smaller shots that struck several dozen Skeleghouls and incinerated them. Tina followed with a few swift lashes from her rapier in its whip form, her Aura seething bright green for her protection. I felt glad she had it, as well as for my own condition, as my frame was able to tolerate higher temperatures than normal metal. Well, given the meteorite it was made from, it made sense, since the tests had shown it was incredibly heat resistant as well.

Anyway, we kept up the attack until I lost track of time. All I remembered was firing my gun repeatedly while Tina's rapier slashed and cracked in both whip and saber formats. By the time the fighting died down, it was well into the next morning. I came back to awareness of my surroundings and the first thing I realized was that I was panting heavily, trying to get air into my overheated circuits. Tina was also panting, her skin streaked with soot and sweat, her rapier shimmering from the heat expelled from the blade.

Fires burned around us, mostly confined to several large piles of burning bones, while a few smaller fires burned near the houses and the village hall. The damage was minor, which was a relief. And even better, there were no losses of life, as Omnimon later reported when we met back up. That was some of the best news I had heard so far.

But it still didn't answer the biggest question that was on my mind: What did the Wailing Woman have to do with the Grimm attack, if anything? And was Omnimon's theory right... or wrong?

That was the mystery.

* * *

That same day was when we started to ask around for information.

Mostly about the Wailing Woman, but also about those Skeleghouls.

It turned out that not many people knew about the Skeleghouls as they were a recent appearance on the island, but they did know a lot about the Wailing Woman of the Black Puddle Lagoon. The main problem was that most of what they knew was just legend and folklore. No real facts or evidence to back up their stories.

That was a problem.

So we decided to poke around in the old library to see if there was anything that could be of any use.

Well, more like me and Omnimon. I was surprised I kept getting stuck with the guy, but I ignored it and focused on the situation at hand.

The two of us were making our way back to the ruined city, and my scanners were on high alert as we emerged from the brush into the city streets. I cast my gaze around the area, picking up nothing but dead bodies and animals that now lived in these ruins. Some small part of me felt bad about doing this, rooting around through what was now a huge grave site, but I forced myself to focus solely on what we needed to accomplish here.

It didn't help much, but it was somewhat helpful.

Omnimon's blue gaze flicked left and right, his sword coming out in case we ran across any Grimm or survivors. I wasn't even hesitant about bringing out my magnum, although I did make a promise to myself to use it only if needed. Still the presence of the weapon did ease my figurative nerves somewhat. I aimed it as we crept through the ruins, heading for the library.

The building was somewhat damaged, but was surprisingly intact... well, for the most part.

Vines were starting to creep up its façade, but other than that, the structure was unharmed aside from blown out windows. This was the first bit of good news since we had arrived here.

As well as one of the creepiest.

The very sight of the library in such good condition made me suspicious and sent chills down my back struts. I gulped nervously as me and Omnimon crept closer.

The Royal Knight's sword glistened in the light of the sun, the runes shimmering a dull orange as he suddenly swiped with it, cutting through a thick vine that was overgrowing the doorway. The vine collapsed, almost limply, and I stepped around the stump that poked out of the ground, feeling uneasy.

I grasped the door with my free hand and slowly turned the knob, half expecting the whole building to come crumbling down all around us.

Nothing happened.

Slowly, I inched the door open and peeked inside, my optics switching to a higher resolution to be able to see in low lighting. I could see decaying bookshelves and books, along with the now familiar skeletons littering the interior, as well as some destroyed shelves and tables. A few piles of ashes indicated that the fires had been put out, but not in time to save some old and very valuable books or works of parchment.

Omnimon poked his head in off to the other side, his blue eyes seeming to glow in the dim lighting. I shuddered against my will briefly at the thought, but then I forced it from my processor. I finally opened the door all the way and stepped into the building.

My optics dimmed a shade as I slowly turned my helm, taking in the sight. It was just too eerie... Way too eerie for me.

And my instincts were screaming at me that there was danger here.

I held my magnum across my chest as I stepped deeper into the old building.

A low rumble came from Omnimon's chest as he scanned left and right. "We had best be on our guard," he said. "Something is not right with this place..."

"Yeah... I've been getting the same feeling..." I muttered, feeling my wings twitch in anticipation of... something... happening.

We continued to venture deeper into the library, our eyes and optics scanning for anything out of the ordinary. But so far, everything seemed normal.

Perhaps a little _too_ normal...

I scanned around me with all sensors and radar at full capacity, my optics dimming a shade as I finally came to a stop in front of the desk where the librarians once stood to check out the books. I looked around, scanning left and right...

Only to stop cold on something floating through the aisles between the bookshelves.

I whipped around and fired off a single beam shot, the figure suddenly vanishing into the darkened shadows of the building. The shot missed and struck the wall, leaving an angry red splotch behind on the stone. I was surprised at how fast it had moved. But I turned, keeping my optics trained on the figure.

The figure flitted into sight, and then my optics flashed as I recognized it as a Geist. "Shit!" I muttered. "I hate these things..."

Omnimon's eyes flicked to the Geist, only to narrow as it flew through the library and towards one of the skeletons that littered the area. I realized what it was about to do and I lunged for it, my beam magnum's jutte igniting and impaling the Geist, but not in the head which would've killed it. Instead, I wound up nailing its arm and it screeched as it faded away from me and appeared closer to the skeleton. But Omnimon was already on the move, and his sword was flashing through the air as he cut, unleashing a brilliant blue shockwave that cleaved the Geist in two.

The Grimm shrieked before it vanished into thick black smoke and I turned to look at Omnimon as he stood up, his sword losing its blue glow.

"So that was a Geist..." he mused. "Reminds me of something similar back home."

I didn't even wanna know.

I inched my way forward, my magnum held at the ready, and my optics scanning for anything out of the ordinary.

But again, nothing was present. It still did little to ease my concerns as I came to one of the bookshelves, my optics looking over the titles. "Hmm..."

I could see that I was in what was once the section referencing mythology and folklore. I ignored it though and proceeded onward.

Only to stop as one of the titles seemed to leap out at me. I stopped and glanced at it, confusion filling my processor. What was this particular book doing here? I grasped it in one hand and pulled it off the shelf, noting how it was starting to yellow and rot from age. But the title is what got my attention.

" _The Black Puddle Lagoon: Fact or Fiction?_ " I read aloud.

Now this was worth looking into.

Holding the book in hand, I made my way back to where Omnimon stood waiting for me. "What did you find?" he asked.

I held up the book. "This. Maybe it can shed some light on the Black Puddle Lagoon and the Wailing Woman," I said.

Omnimon's blue eyes narrowed a bit, but he accepted it and walked over to a table that was mostly intact, but covered in dust and webs. I brushed a bunch of the stuff aside and sat down on one of the old chairs. It actually cracked beneath my weight and I collapsed onto my aft, landing with a grunt. Omnimon's eyes widened a little and his shoulders shook with quiet laughter. I shot him a glare as I got to my feet. "Not funny..." I muttered as I finally set the book down and pried it open.

The warrior collected himself and looked over my shoulder as I sifted through the book's pages, searching for any useful information.

It was then that my optics landed on the title of the chapter. "The Truth about the Curse of the Black Puddle Lagoon."

 _There have been many tales that have been told surrounding the lagoon and its curse._

 _But what many fail to realize is that all those stories are just that: stories._

 _The truth is far more sinister, and far more accurate._

 _In light of recent events surrounding the lagoon and the demise of a well known diplomat's son, I have proceeded to conduct several investigations pertaining to that very body of water. These investigations consisted of several minor archaeological excavations and a few deeper, in depth explorations of the waters themselves, each of which has yielded different results, but results that are connected._

 _First off is how the lagoon actually formed, which was over five thousand years ago, which puts this body of water as having been formed during the Forgotten Age. This is very interesting, as not many places from that era survived whatever event caused the world to alter. I was intrigued, so I delved deeper into the research of the lagoon's origins, as well as the habitations that sprang up along its shores and embankments._

 _These settlements date back to as early as fifteen thousand years ago, a very significant age, as it shows that the Forgotten Age lasted far longer than any that we know of, at least in theory. In truth, this was the Second Forgotten Age that we discovered through these ruins. I had to call in several favors from old friends to try and get as much information as I could about the settlements and the subsequent artifacts that were uncovered._

 _One of these was a casket._

 _A casket that was carved entirely out of diamond._

 _I had to admit, it was very astonishing and downright mortifying for me and my colleagues. But it also shed some light on something very important: the formation of the so-called "Curse of the Black Puddle Lagoon."_

 _ _It turned out that the Curse was not so much myth as it was fact. There__ had _been a forbidden romance, but contrary to popular belief, the woman did not get mutilated by her lover's father. Instead, she pleaded guilty and offered her life in exchange for her lover's life. The gesture was not enough to move the chieftain into sparing his son from exile, though he did allow the boy to live. In exchange though, she was bound in rope and buried alive inside a diamond casket where it was placed into the lagoon by some of the strongest swimmers and Aura users at the time, right atop the column that rests in the center of the pool._

 _The Curse was not cast by her lover, as the story goes. Instead, what happened was when her father found out, he cast a curse on the tribe that buried her, saying that his daughter would not be allowed to rest until she devoured every last man descended from the chieftain of her lover's tribe. The Curse took effect fifty years too late, however, and as a result, has led to the current status of myth and folklore within Flowertopian culture._

 _There have been many theories on how to break the curse, but none of them have proven to be applicable, considering how diamond is the hardest of all minerals on this earth. So therefore the only reasonable method is to remove the casket and place it inside another lagoon, or barring that, burying it and finally putting the girl's spirit to rest._

I looked at Omnimon as his blue eyes met my violet optics.

"Holy crap...!" I whispered.

Omnimon hummed as I closed the book. "Seems to me like someone has done their research into this abnormality," he mused.

"Yeah." I nodded. "But still... to hear that all this time she was trapped there..."

My mind raced as I held up the book. "Let's get this back to Tina. She needs to see it."

* * *

And boy, was I right.

She was shocked at this, but she was also doubtful. And I could understand that. But even so...

"So what, Dracon? This book could've been written by a quack for all we know!" she snapped, slapping her hand against its cover.

"Um..." Omnimon poked her shoulder with his dino head-hand. "I think you should look at the back."

Tina cocked an eyebrow, but did as he asked. Her brows flew up into her hair as she read the names on the back.

"Dr. Drew and Solomon Saturday...?" she breathed, her eyes widening in realization. "Hold on! Those names... They're the renowned Saturdays!" she blurted.

Now _that_ made my optics flash in shock. "No way!" I blurted. "Those two?! They're legends in the archaeological community!"

Omnimon cocked his head in confusion. "They are?" he asked.

I turned to face him. "You bet they are! They're known the world over for uncovering ancient ruins, some of which date back from before current history, all the way from the Forgotten Age!" I exclaimed.

"It says here that they've also delved into unusual anomalies such as the Black Puddle Lagoon, as well as covering the disappearances of several people within the Andes Mountains," Tina read. "They're experts in their fields, and it's said that Drew carries with her a Tibetian fire sword."

"Not that much different from Dan's..." I muttered to myself with a mental smirk.

Tina just rolled her eyes at my remark.

"So the Saturdays found out about the truth behind the Curse, and so far no one has been able to break it..." Omnimon mused. "It seems there may be much more to the local lore than was previously insinuated." He put his head-hand under his chin, as if in thought.

I nodded. "Yeah. But there has to be. There always is."

The Royal Knight lifted his head. "If that is the case, we must make haste back there this evening. I do not wish to let this Curse continue on any longer." His tone of voice indicated how serious he was, and I shuddered briefly.

Of course, things were not going to be as easy as we thought...

Let alone go as we expected.

* * *

 _"Ah... he's planning to make his move. The fools..."_

 _"What are they planning?"_

 _"Simple. They think they can free her from her curse. It's not as simple as that, though, since she is not a mere human..." *a dark chuckle*_

 _"Yes. I seem to remember that day. Her parents swore she would die, without realizing how futile it is to kill one of us."_

 _"Try more like stupidly sealing her alive. That only made her what she is."_

 _"Such foolish actions. Our kind cannot be killed that way."_

 _"Yes, but we can be weakened. So we should be glad she sought vengeance and now gets her sustenance from the men of the island."_

 _"As well as any tourists who she lured. I also seem to remember she killed a few of our kind."_

 _"Do not remind me. But yes, that is true. She is both an ally and a threat. We should be glad that she is now in the sights of Joseph and his companions..."_

* * *

That evening came too quickly for us, and when Gaufrid asked us where we were heading, we told him. But thankfully he didn't protest. Instead, he let us go, but with a warning.

We promised to heed it.

The three of us left the village that evening, intent on getting to the bottom of this.

We had no idea as to what truly lurked in the depths of the lagoon. Least of all the fact that the truth was even darker than what we had come across...

* * *

 _ **New Grimm Sighted**_

 **Name: Skeleghoul**

 **Classification: Humanoid**

 **Appearance: Entirely skeletal, possessing a sinister smoky appearance around its chest and head, with blood red lights in the eye sockets**

 **Abilities: Skeleghouls have a very annoying ability to constantly reassemble themselves into their humanoid state. They can also combine into more menacing and powerful forms. This very ability is what makes them so dangerous when confronted in larger numbers by ordinary human Hunters. Only those with uncanny or seemingly limitless endurance can take them on, but it is advised by _ALL_ Huntsmen to run when encountering these things.**

 **Origin: Skeleghouls actually started out as mere Zombie Geists, or Geists that possess the recently deceased corpses of any race they come across. In some cases, the Zombie Geists can even be born from a Geist possessing a human being through a sheer fluke. These Zombie Geists somehow gain intelligence and sentience, and when they Skeletize, or rot away, they retain this intelligence, making the newly created Skeleghouls even more dangerous as they can strategize and come up with plans.**

 **Note: All Hunters and Huntresses advise either running or incinerating the bones of these Grimm. It is the only way to remove the Geist within.**


	20. Arc I - Shattering Revelations

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Psychoframes_

 _The Dragon of Denver has an impressive arsenal of weapons and great strength, agility, and intellect, that much is true. But what few outside of his closest friends know is that there is a secret weapon built into his frame for if he is in a tight spot._

 _Witnesses have reported at times seeing his frame glowing with greenish-white light in certain segments when his armor plating opens, and then he usually seems to get faster and stronger. That asset is none other than the psychoframe, a system designed to boost the power output of any Gundam that is equipped with it. But seeing as how Dracon is the only Gundam in existence at the moment, therefore there is only one psychoframe as well._

 _Not much is really known as to how it works, other than the power output. But Dracon has reported that at times he's gotten twinges or 'flashes' in his processor at times, so some theorize that the psychoframe can act as a radar if all sensors and radar are down for him. He also reported that during the second fight against the Wailing Woman in Scotland, he was able to block her attacks without the need for his shield. Drs. Vist and Minovsky have refused to say much on the matter._

 _Regardless, despite the many mysteries surrounding it, the psychoframe has proven to be an asset to Dracon during his career._

 _Close File_

* * *

"What is ESP? Many people have claimed to have it to some degree, but usually this is dismissed as false, because there is no evidence to suggest it even exists to begin with. But what about in other realities?" TOM asked as he closed the Psychoframes file. "For all we know, ESP, or psychic abilities, could be real in other universes. Such abilities could be minor, or they could be reality changing. But there is also an unexplained sense that humans, or any living beings really, have. It's called danger sense, and some claim it is a sixth sense. Some could also argue that it is in actuality an increase in perception, or awareness of the world around us as a whole." He leaned back and pressed a button on his chair's arm rest. That's the thing. There is still so much we don't know about the human brain and mind. So for all we know, psychic abilities could be real. What do you think?"

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 ** **I **t's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (****** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 ** **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (**** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 ** **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (**** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 ** ** **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (****** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face_ **)**

 ** ** **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (****** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 ** ** **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (****** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 ** ** **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (****** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The scene shows a sinister eye with a slit for the pupil before it pans to the side to show two catlike eyes in its place_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure's eyes flash as a dark glow encompasses the screen, horrific images appearing along the edges of the screen_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ )

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large Ursa Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing the woman with the sword standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _She thrusts her sword forward and slashes with it, generating a fiery shockwave that explodes against the closest Grimm, thick smoke covering the screen before it fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it comes upon an island shrouded in shadow and ruin_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _Snow is falling on this island, engulfing the remains of battle in a thick layer of white like so many ghosts of the past long forgotten_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The island remains are shown from a distance as a cloaked figure in a white cape and hood stands atop a cliff_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The figure leaps off, throwing open its cape before a wave of blue energy streaks out from the sword on its left arm_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The wave explodes against a Grimm and the figure lands, running into the mist before vanishing like a ghost_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The mist parts as the woman wielding the shotgun aims it and pulls the trigger, sending shells right for the mechanical-organic forms of Spindle Grimm as they scuttle along the ground_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The Spindles skitter left and right to avoid as she steps back into the mist and vanishes_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The mist is blown aside as the man with the broadsword attacks, unleashing a wave of razor air right for the Spindles as they come out of the darkness of the night_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The Spindles are destroyed and turn into smoke as he whips around, his Aura seething a light purple in color as he charges_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the camera pans to the left, showing the woman with her hammer thrusting it at one of the Beetle Destroyer Grimm attacking her_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _She is surrounded, but then she draws back her hammer and slams it into the ground, knocking them back and destroying them as the smoke fades, showing the ruins from before_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc I: Shattering Revelations**

* * *

The lagoon was eerily quiet as we drew closer.

For some reason, I was getting a bad feeling in my lower torso.

My optics scanned all around me as I crouched with Tina and Omnimon in the brush, and my wings twitched on my back in worry.

Something was up, and I didn't like it one bit.

It was around 2000 hours - or 8:00 PM - when we got close to it.

I poked my helm through the brush a bit and my frame shuddered at the image of the puddle before us, although upon closer examination, I could faintly see water lapping at the edges to the lagoon itself. That was a clear indicator that this was an optical illusion of sorts, to convince an unwary traveler that there was nothing but a small puddle there. And actually, it was a very convincing illusion. Had I not spotted the movement of waves, I would've fallen for it again.

My optics dimmed a shade as Tina poked her head through, Omnimon sticking his own out as well moments later.

We all waited patiently to see what was going to happen next.

Then we heard it.

Faint, lilting, and beautiful.

The Song of the Wailing Woman.

My reactor seemed to leap into my throat and I gulped. If she was singing, then she was calling for new prey.

"You guys got any idea as to what to do next?" Tina asked softly.

"Nothing comes to my mind," Omnimon admitted. "I must admit, I am baffled as to how an entity like this can cause such chaos and disruption."

"We all are," I muttered. And it was true, too. I just couldn't wrap my processor around it. I mean, sure I had heard of the Banshees of Ireland, but never expected this to exist. A woman who sought men to devour? All because of a curse? Something about this seemed wrong. And even though the book from the Saturdays had unearthed more information, a little feeling was niggling at my processor, telling me that it may be even worse than that, and that what they had uncovered was just the tip of the iceberg.

The brush began to move as we tensed, pulling back but just enough to remain out of sight. I dimmed my optics a shade as I peered through the leaves in front of my face. One of them was just barely touching the metal of my faceplate, and I had to resist the urge to brush it aside.

We watched as slowly a young man emerged from the bushes, his eyes holding a glazed look in them. The young man wandered towards the lagoon, his mouth falling open as he drew closer to it. My optics flashed a bit, and I felt the urge to do something, but I squashed it.

"Dammit...!" Omnimon hissed.

The man kept walking...

And then we heard a cry.

The last thing we expected was to see a blast of fire, and my optics flashed as my sensors alerted me to the presence of a newcomer. I leapt to the side, grabbing Tina and Omnimon by their arms, earning surprised yelps in response. My action saved them from being burned, as it was so sudden, the attack. I landed a good distance away, using my frame to shield them from the heat as it blasted past us. My cloak whipped around all three of us, and Omnimon's cape was blown to the side from the sheer force of the heat.

My mind was now reeling as I tried to figure out what had attacked us. I expanded my radar to full range and tuned my sensors to their highest sensitivity, keeping an eye on it as I scanned all around us for any signatures that indicated a Fallen. If that were the case, then we needed to evacuate the area ASAP and take up positions behind some strong rocks or retreat down to Honeybee Village to use the buildings as cover.

I was so busy trying to come up with plans for counterattacking a suspected Fallen that I didn't even hear Tina yelling until something hard smacked me upside the helm.

I yelped and let go of my two companions as my hands flew for my head. "Ow!" I rubbed my helm, although I didn't really feel much of an impact or pain. "What was that for?!" I blurte.

"You didn't hear me when I was yelling!" Tina remarked as Omnimon lowered his left...head-hand. I guessed he used that to hit me over the helm.

"Sorry," I muttered. "I was just..." My voice trailed off as I looked back in the direction of the young man, only to notice that he was no longer walking towards the lagoon. If anything he had halted and was now shaking his head in confusion.

But the fire...

There were several small fires burning around him, and us.

I scanned all around us, but nothing appeared on my radar. At least, nothing pertaining to a Fallen.

Instead, it was more like there was an Aura signature in the area...

And that meant a Huntsman!

But the only issue was, could this Huntsman be trusted? The downside to my radar was that it couldn't identify a friendly or rogue Huntsman or Huntress. The only way for me to do that was to tap into the Huntsman database, and as it stood, there was no connection to the SkyWeb here on Flowertopia. A bad thing for a Gundam, at any rate.

I hissed through my vents as I stood up, my hand flying for my beam magnum on my flight pack and pulling it free. I hefted it and aimed it in the direction of the signature. "Show yourself!" I barked in as commanding a voice as I could.

The Huntsman didn't show. My optics flared a bit. "I said show yourself!" I repeated.

Then the brush began to move. My hand clenched on the trigger, but not enough to discharge the gun. I felt my reactor increase its humming in my chest and I tensed my frame, feeling every system and hydraulic tightening in anticipation of combat.

But the person who stepped out was not a rogue Huntsman.

A gasp escaped Tina as she dropped her rapier, which she had drawn as a precaution. Her hands flew to her mouth as she almost let out a squeal, but refrained when Omnimon shot her a confused look.

The man who had emerged was of slender build, but I could see most of it was solid muscle, and he had black hair with intense brown eyes that complemented his tanned skin. He wore a necklace around his neck and his shirt was ragged and torn, along with his shorts. A tattoo of sorts - it resembled waves in a sense - was wrapped around his left bicep and he seemed to have a bit of a limp; if the splint on his right leg was any indication, he must've had a broken leg. (A quick scan told me it was broken.) His weapons were held loosely in his hands - a pair of dancer-type fire sticks, but these looked to be modified to handle fire Dust for combatting any enemies.

And judging from the way Tina had reacted, she knew him. Or at least _of_ him.

"Y...You... I know you!" she breathed.

"You do?" I asked her.

The man seemed to give a pained grin. "Glad to hear it," he rasped, no doubt trying to make a joke.

Omnimon rolled his eyes as I shook my helm. Then I addressed the man. "You sure surprised us," I remarked.

"Sorry. After seeing this insidious thing taking more and more men, it only drove me to the breaking point," the man grunted as he looked at the younger man who by now was running back towards the village. No doubt to get away from the lagoon, and personally I couldn't blame him. I wanted to get as far away as well, but I ignored it, remembering why we were even here.

"So, who are you?" I asked, trying to remain as calm and casual as possible.

"My name is David Kawena..." the man started, only to grit his teeth before he regained himself. "But... most people would refer to me as Tikki-Torch."

My optics flashed in surprise. "Wait. You're the hero known as Tikki-Torch?!" I blurted.

He managed a weak grin. "Got it in one." He suddenly grimaced as he collapsed, dropping his fire sticks and I was running to his side in a flash, holstering my magnum as I went. I grasped his arm and draped it over my shoulder, looking at him with a serious gaze.

"What's the big idea even walking around on a broken leg?!" I snapped. "That's dangerous, and downright crazy!"

"Sorry. But as I said, I just... just couldn't take it anymore, what's been happening here," David remarked, trying to keep a straight face, which was easier said than done given the fracture to his lower leg.

"Well, you're not going to do anything until we get that taken care of!" I remarked. "And the first thing we're doing is heading back to the village to get this looked at. And you're going to tell us what you're even doing here."

David nodded. "Fair enough. If you tell me what _you're_ doing here as well."

I looked down, a hum escaping my chest for a moment. Then I turned my gaze back to him and nodded. "Sure. Sounds good."

* * *

The village was quite surprised by the fact we had brought back a famous hero, but we managed to convince them to keep it quiet, as if there were others around - meaning Fallen or Grimm - we didn't want them to find out. Call it paranoia, but it was actually a good thing, as eventually we learned there _were_ others out there that were seeking a quick buck on the suffering this island was going through.

Just the mere thought made my circuits crawl.

Regardless, we were able to get David's leg properly set and he was now resting in one of the huts to recover from his injury.

We waited a few days until Gaufrid informed us that David was making a full recovery, although he was not allowed to actually walk or even attempt walking until his leg was fully healed. I had no idea as to what exactly had happened, and as it stood, the diagnosis given to me by the scan I had conducted left me baffled (A tibia shaft fracture? What the hell was that?), at least until we got back to the mainland where I could actually look it up.

Still, the fact that he was even able to accept visitors was a good sign.

So we were guided in by one of the other villagers, and sure enough, David was already sitting up, his leg entirely placed in a cast that looked as if it had been made with some kind of bandages, but their composition confused me, and I was a _Gundam!_ Anyway, we were surprised to see him sitting up in bed, which was a huge relief for us.

His fire sticks lay off to the side, and he had a book in his hands.

He lowered it as soon as he heard my footsteps and closed it, laying it off to the side on the dresser beside the bed. "I was wondering when you'd show," he remarked.

I folded my arms across my chest as I leaned against the wall of the hut. "Looks like your leg's doing well," I remarked.

David snorted. "Hardly. They said I needed to stay here until my leg's healed. But then again, what else can you do?"

Tina slowly looked him over, finally pursing her lips. "So... what exactly are you even _doing_ here?" she asked seriously.

That was enough to get things started.

David slowly closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "I was sent here by the royal family of Moana to investigate the recent disappearance of some of the more notable members of our country's government," he explained. "Or more specifically, the males. The women who returned were hospitalized for what the doctors fear to be hallucinogens. The people of this island have been known to indulge in them from time to time."

"And you followed the trail to the lagoon," I surmised.

"Close. In fact, I had no idea that that lake played a significant role in things until I experienced it for myself," David remarked. His eyes narrowed. "I was with another teammate, but he died trying to save me, and well..." His teeth gritted as he clenched his fists. "I've never forgiven myself for his death. So I started doing some research into the local lore of this island, and it was then I discovered the Curse of the Lagoon."

Memories came to my processor and I shivered as I recalled the sudden abruptness of waking standing on water. I had to clench my fists to keep myself from really shaking in my armor. "Don't remind me..." I muttered to myself under my figurative breath.

"I wasn't expecting to encounter the spirit of the Lagoon, the one the locals called the Wailing Woman, a second time," David continued. He gestured to his leg. "That's how I broke my leg. She chased me until I tripped and fell on it the wrong way. I was able to splint it myself, but I didn't do a very good job of it, I guess."

"Hell no you didn't!" I retorted. "Your leg was starting to fracture even more at that point!"

David grimaced at my tone of voice and I winced in my thoughts. "Sorry," I muttered.

Omnimon cleared his throat at that point and all of us looked in his direction. "That little exclamation aside, I feel that there is another issue we have to address," he remarked. "For instance, why would the Kingdom of Moana send someone to search out their notable citizens? Surely it could fall to their intelligence services, no?"

"Not this time," David growled. "After the Grimm attack three years ago, there's been no contact from the Flowertopian government, so the Moana Kingdom and several other countries elected to send small groups in to investigate, as even our ambassadors here were killed." His teeth gritted as he looked down at his hands as they clenched the bed sheets. "Nani was not happy about that."

"No doubt," I muttered. I finally looked up. "So, that's why you're here, huh?"

The man nodded. "Yes. And I have to admit... things are getting worse, if what I've seen is correct."

Then he looked us in the eyes (and optics). "What of you? What's your reason for being here?"

"To see what caused the Grimm to attack the island," I explained. "There's just no way Grimm would suddenly attack a place as peaceful and positively emotionally charged as this." My optics dimmed a shade. "Something is wrong here. And I'm starting to get an idea that maybe it wasn't a coincidence... but something else altogether."

David cocked an eyebrow. "And have you found anything?" he asked.

"Just that something drew them to this island," I said, condensing the story into one sentence. "And that it may not have been by something alone."

The Moanan inclined his head. "That's... kind of disturbing..." he remarked. "Something else drawing the Grimm to this island..." He folded his arms and snorted. "Sounds like a conspiracy to me."

"That may be," Omnimon remarked, "but until we can gather more proper information, we can only assume that such a thing has happened. And as to this being a conspiracy... I doubt that highly. But it does raise a good question of motives. So we have to be on alert for anything that could point to a possible motive for luring the Grimm here to begin with."

David was silent for a moment. "So you suspect otherwise..." he muttered.

"Until we know for sure, we're just guessing..." I admitted. "So..." I shrugged helplessly.

David frowned, but nodded. "I see. Still, if you are to go back to that lagoon, be on high alert. The Wailing Woman does not take kindly to intruders in her land."

The three of us nodded. "Right."

As soon as we left the hut, we began to get to work on leaving for the lagoon that evening.

Time flew by swiftly, and before we knew it, the sun was dipping below the horizon.

I had to admit, I was now worried. What if things went badly for us?

All kinds of thoughts raced around in my head as we finally approached the lagoon, mostly centering around the Wailing Woman.

What other tricks did she have planned for us?

Those thoughts were driven from my processor as we finally approached it.

For some reason, things seemed to take a more sinister gloom that evening. The trees seemed to become more oddly shaped, like skeletal hands reaching out from the ground. The leaves seemed to droop, and in the background we could hear the faint hooting of owls. And the whole time it seemed like we were being watched. The very feeling sent shivers down my back struts, and I shivered against my will.

But what was really sinister was the lagoon itself.

When we emerged from the brush, the sight was just downright spooky.

A mist was coming in from the ocean, and the clouds covered the moon. The trees seemed to take more of a gloomy appearance, with their drooping leaves and skeletal branches, along with moss I hadn't noticed until now. The center of the lagoon seemed to be pulsing... and not in a good way. My optics dimmed a shade as my hands clenched tighter on my beam magnum.

"Okay...? This just keeps on getting creepier..." Tina muttered.

"Ditto on that one..." I remarked.

Omnimon snorted beside me. "I'm in complete agreement," he said softly. His blue eyes were hard as he looked left and right, but the way his body was tense indicated that he was anticipating something happening.

And to be honest, so was I.

Tina refused to say anything on whether or not she was also anticipating something about to happen, but later on she admitted that she had been as well.

The three of us stopped at the edge of the lagoon and it was then that things changed.

* * *

 _"Ah... she's about to make her move."_

 _"Yes. Let's see how well she can handle them in combat."_

 _"As for Matthews... well, he'll be taken care of... one way or another..."_

* * *

 _ **She slowly stirred, her eyes opening within her prison.**_

 _ **Being trapped had instilled in her a longing to move freely, to not use her powers to generate a mere puppet to control.**_

 _ **Her senses picked out the familiar energies of the trio who dared to interrupt her feast last time. But one stood out in particular. An energy that was not human, but human at the same time. An artificial energy that seethed with pure human emotions.**_

 _ **Yes. Joseph was close by. And she desired to see him once more.**_

 _ **Now for the fun part.**_

 _ **She closed her eyes and channeled what Aura she had gathered from her prey seethed through her body. She was now strong enough to break free. And she was going to show the world the true power of the Queen of the Black Puddle Lagoon!**_

 _ **No one would stop her!**_

 _ **NO ONE!**_

* * *

A loud cackle cut through the night sky and my optics flashed as we all turned to look at the lagoon.

The pulsing light in the center began to glow brighter and brighter, a dull thumping now resonating in the area. It was like there was a massive heart all around us. I could actually feel the molecules of the air vibrating like in a heartbeat, pressing against my armor with each thump. The ground also shook, like with footsteps. And all the while the waters of the lagoon lapped at the shoreline, also as if being pulsed by a heartbeat.

Omnimon's gaze snapped to the center of the lagoon and his eyes widened. "Oh... no..." he whispered. "Look!"

Both me and Tina whipped to stare in shock as the pulsing grew brighter and more frequent until water began to bubble and boil, as if someone had kicked it into overdrive.

My reactor began to race in my chest as I aimed my magnum at the center of the pool.

Only for the water to slowly part as something began to emerge. I didn't know what it was, but it looked a lot like that so-called 'jewel' I saw beneath the water. Only now it was cracked. Literally.

A spiderweb of cracks now covered its surface, and they only grew in size. Something was about to come out of it.

And from the look of fear Omnimon had, it was not a good thing.

I pulled the trigger and my beam magnum fired, sending its distinct shot resonating through the forest as the beam streaked right for the jewel.

With an explosion of energy and heat, the beam shot struck it, shattering the jewel's facades into many pieces and shards. The sparkling fragments fell into the lagoon, and it seemed like it was over. But if that were the case, then...

The last thing I expected was to get slammed back against a rock with some thick black tendrils, my arms and legs pinned together and my wings trussed against my back. I grunted from the force of the impact, and I slowly lifted my aching helm, only to feel my reactor leap into my throat at the sight of the woman as she emerged from the smoke my shot had created.

Her hair was long and lush, a deep blue color and soft green eyes. She wore a black robe of sorts, and her skin was pale. But what really struck me were the veins in her flesh: black and purple. I knew what she was at that moment and a growl escaped my vocalizer. "Fallen!" I hissed.

The woman cooed as she inched closer to me, draping one feminine hand over my face before she smirked, exposing those sharp teeth under her lush lips. "You would've made an interesting challenge... Joseph..." she purred, making me sick to my nonexistent stomach.

"Shut up!" I growled.

"If you insist..." the woman whispered before she pulled back. "It's just a shame you always had to interrupt my feasts... You Huntsmen and Huntresses are always alike, no matter what era you are from." She shook her head. "No matter what era..."

"Huh?" My optics flashed a bit in confusion. "Whaddya mean?!" I snapped.

The woman didn't answer. Instead she floated over to where Tina and Omnimon stood at the ready, their swords held up defensively. Tina's blade seethed with lightning Dust and the Royal Knight's blade hummed with blue energy. She sneered as she gazed at them both. "Now then..."

Omnimon made the first move, swinging the blade and slashing as hard as he could. " _Transcendence Sword!_ " he cried.

The blast of light cut through the area, barely hitting the woman and making her dart to the side. Her eyes narrowed as she held out a hand, summoning thick black tendrils from the depths of the water. The attack kept streaking in my direction, and I began to panic. What if he hit me?! I struggled to break free, my psychoframe starting to glow brighter as my reactor hummed louder in my chest.

I finally shoved my arms to the side, breaking the tendrils binding me to the rock and I landed on my feet before rolling to the side, my cloak fluttering behind me as the blast exploded against the rock. I looked towards the Wailing Woman as she turned her gaze on me. And that was when things changed.

She lunged for me, forcing me onto the defensive. I yelped as I brought up my shield to defend myself, barely blocking one of the tendrils as it lashed out towards me again. The woman's green eyes were hard as she gritted her teeth and whipped around to try and catch me in those tendrils again. But I wasn't about to let her trap me a second time. I flared my wings open as my optics flashed, my hand aiming my magnum at her and firing a full power charged shot not even a second later. She sneered as she dodged it, twirling around like a ballerina as she landed and spread her arms and hands, thick vine-like tendrils emerging from the ground. My optics hardened as I growled lowly in the back of my vocalizer, aiming my beam magnum again.

The two of us stood facing off, Tina and Omnimon scurrying to join me on either side.

Tina arrived on my left, hefting her rapier before snapping it out into whip form. Her blue eyes hardened as her Aura flared into existence, and seemed to take on a fiery shape. She spun the Dust chamber in the hilt and it landed on ice Dust, giving the blade segments a sort of icy cover.

On my right stood Omnimon, his own blue eyes glacier hard as he held up his sword. His cape billowed around him, only adding to his imposing appearance as he spread his legs into a fighting stance. Around him I noticed a glowing white Aura, but with gold and blue accents. That threw me for a loop briefly, but I forced the thoughts from my processor and returned to the fight at hand.

The Wailing Woman sneered as she looked at all three of us. "So... you wish to make this a fight?" she cackled. "Then bring it on!"

"You wish!" I spat. "I just want answers! What exactly did you mean by 'no matter what era'?!"

She became thoughtful, but didn't lower her attack stance. Instead, she hummed before she smirked. "Isn't it obvious, my dear Joseph?" she purred, sending one of the tendrils to snake its way down my back in a seductive manner. I batted it away before it could even touch me. She pouted, but then her sneer returned. "I am from before the Time of Awakening!"

 _That_ threw all three of us for a loop. "Y-You... _what?!_ " I breathed, shock flooding my frame. "You're from before then?!"

She folded her arms, but the tendrils didn't vanish. They lunged for us, and we were forced to scatter. I spread my wings and kicked on my flight pack, jetting skyward and just in the nick of time. One of them coiled around where I had been mere seconds ago; the pressure would've caved my chest frame structure in had it caught me. I gulped at the thought. But the sudden sound of something streaking through the air forced me to back off and aim my beam magnum at the second cluster of tendrils.

I fired again as Tina snapped her whip and Omnimon slashed with his sword, the ice Dust combining with the Transcendence Sword and my beam magnum's charged shot. The combined attack streaked right for her, making her eyes widen in shock as she realized what was going to happen. Growling, she clenched her fists and drove them into the ground, summoning more tendrils to take the shots. There was the crackling of ice as they were frozen solid. I hissed through my vents and replaced my magnum on my back. "Dammit! We need a new plan!" I growled.

"What about that cannon of yours?" Omnimon asked. "You told me it was a beam burst gun, yes?"

I nodded. "Yeah, but I dunno if it can penetrate those tendrils, and I don't want either of you to get hurt by it!" I remarked.

"Best to do it right now!" Tina snapped, her rapier's Dust chamber landing on fire Dust. "Because we have to defeat her, or at least chase her away from this island!"

"Yeah..." I growled. "All right."

I aimed my right arm and my beam burst gun swung into position, resting just above my clenched fist. "Hope you're ready to take some serious heat!" I barked, firing the shot not even a second later.

Her eyes widened as she realized what this meant, and she howled as she thrust her arms out to the sides, summoning even more tendrils to try and block the shots. But it wasn't as easy as she had thought. The beauty about my beam burst gun is its ability to split the single shot into six smaller shots, like a dragon's breath spread shot. That allows me to hit a much larger range, but the downside is that I can't exactly aim all six shots. They tend to scatter, but their range is limited to the target's general area. And that is a benefit as well as a downside.

Anyway, my shot split into six smaller shots, each one striking her tendrils to some degree, but one of them did get through and strike her in the chest. She cried out, but didn't go down like I had hoped. I growled to myself. "Dammit!"

The Wailing Woman regained herself and charged at us, Tina retaliating using her whip to catch our opponent by the waist while Omnimon lunged and grabbed her, wrapping his sword arm around her neck and holding her in place. I was surprised, but I didn't even hesitate as I charged at her, my beam burst gun folding back against my arm. I flipped one of my beam tonfas forward and the pink blade ignited. "HAAAAAH!"

I thrust my arm forward, the blade pulsing as I cried out.

Her eyes widened in shock as she realized what was about to happen.

She tensed before she suddenly threw her head back and let out a loud wail unlike anything I had ever heard. I was thrown back, my hands flying for my audio receptors, and I landed on my back, trying to drown out the howling screech. Or was it a screeching howl? I had no idea.

All I knew was that it was causing my processor to ache.

It seemed like it went on forever, but then it vanished, not even a full two minutes later.

Shaking, I slowly lowered my hands from my audios, and I was surprised to see that the woman was gone. I pushed myself into a sitting position, my optics trying to pick up any trace of her. But she was nowhere to be seen, and even my radar couldn't pick her up. She was gone from all sensors and sight.

I glanced at Tina who was wincing as she stuck a finger in her ear. "Mawp...mawp..."

Omnimon shook his head to dispel the aching he was no doubt feeling. "By the Sovereigns... _that_ was horrible..." he muttered.

Had I been human, I'd have cocked an eyebrow at the swear, but instead I ignored it and got to my feet. "Yeah... And it looks like she escaped..." I muttered. "And now I have an idea as to why she was actually sealed away..."

* * *

The research ship arrived the next day, so me and Tina finally left the island, taking David with us so he could be dropped off at Moana to report his mission's status. Omnimon just disappeared in the middle of the night, but he left behind a note explaining that he had business to take care of and that maybe we might see him again in the future. But as for me and Tina, well...

We got on the ship with all the stuff we had learned and reported it to Mayor Sebben, who was more than pleased at what we had found, but was royally pissed off when we told him about the escaped Fallen. Then again, I couldn't blame him, given who it was. Regardless, once we were bound for home, I fell into recharge, unaware of what was to come for my next mission...

* * *

 **Name: David Kawena**

 **Alias: Tikki-Torch**

 **Aura: Orange**

 **Semblance: Hot-Foot**

 **Description: Kawena can create a shroud of fire around his body using his Aura that also protects him from burning himself. If he wishes he can channel the fire down to his feet to act as rockets, propelling him into the air.**

 **Weapon: Two fire sticks, resembling the ones used in a hula dance he also applies in combat, spinning the sticks with fires burning at both ends and can use them in close range and long range combat with the use of Fire Dust.**

 **Credit for this idea is given to nightmaster000.**

* * *

 **Name: Aqueela Nalane**

 **Alias(s): Wailing Woman, Queen of the Black Puddle Lagoon**

 **Species: Fallen/Human**

 **Aura: Dark Gold**

 **Semblance: Siren Call**

 **Description: A lilting, beautiful song that draws men to her lair, she puts them into a deep trance and takes the form of a beautiful, buxom woman that alters their hormones to lust for her. She also can give men the ability to breathe underwater as long as she has constant skin contact with them. A good way to counter is to block the sound with noise canceling headsets or to have someone conk the male victim over the head to snap him awake, or to even generate enough noise to wake the victim.**


	21. INTERLUDE II

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Rite of Passage_

 _Not much is known about this strange ritual of the Fallen. All that is known is that when a newborn Fallen is evolving to the next stage, they will be tossed into an arena or pit and left to try and gain control of their instincts. Sometimes they will succeed... other times they will fail._

 _Close File_

* * *

"A rite of passage is something that tends to happen to mark the coming of age of a youth in a particular culture. Oftentimes it involves a special day, an event, or just a ceremony," TOM lectured as he closed the Rite of Passage file. "And these rites can sometimes take the form of quests or missions in other universes. So, if you've ever tried to come up with such an event, what makes the culture's coming of age unique? Does it involve a quest, a mission, or just a simple acknowledgement of adulthood? That is what defines a society to some degree, but other times it's just something to mark the passage of time." He pressed a button on the arm rest of his chair and leaned back in his seat.

* * *

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Stirring Winds**

* * *

 _The Fallen smirked as he watched his new recruit straining against the massive Grimm._

 _The dark side of the Gundam Project was proving to be a formidable adversary indeed. Already he had slain three massive Grimm with just his bare servos, and his abilities were truly astounding._

 _Especially as he had the ability to generate a literal army from his very chassis._

 _That was an ability that he was not about to overlook._

 _As he said, he never wasted any potential. And he was bound to have some use for this one in particular._

 _He cast his red gaze over to where others were observing and watching, taking note of the recruit's raw strength and power._

 _A voice reached out to him from the crowd. "How long has he gone for?"_

 _"Three weeks, and then some," the red-haired Fallen remarked with a grin. "He is indeed a true marvel, regardless of his origins."_

 _"Yes. But what if he turns against us?" the speaker asked, narrowing their eyes._

 _"Trust me. He is not going to; not since we have promised him the chance to exact vengeance on his old friend," the Fallen smirked._

 _"And of Matthews? Last I heard he has retreated from that miserable island of happiness... and that the Witch of the Lagoon has failed..." The speaker's voice held a dark undertone to it, but the Fallen was not deterred._

 _"But she escaped, did she not? She will get her chance at vengeance. After all, she has returned to her beloved homeland to regroup and gather her strength... knowing her of course," the Fallen remarked simply. "After all, no one can really harm her once she is on her native soil."_

 _The speaker snorted. "True..."_

 _A grunt caught their attention and both redirected their gaze back to the pit as the recruit drove a metallic fist into the wall, leaving a dent behind. The Fallen let out a purr of amusement as be summoned forth a new Grimm to test his recruit's endurance._

 _"If he can survive a few more weeks... he will be prepared for the next test," the Fallen hummed._

 _"Test?" The speaker inclined their head._

 _"Yes. A simple one. To defeat the Gundam he is the antithesis of." That was all the Fallen said as he folded his arms._

 _"Sounds simple... but is very dangerous..." the speaker mused. "I somehow doubt your... recruit... will hold his own against the Gundam. He is far more powerful, and only gets stronger with each battle against us and the Grimm."_

 _"Ah. But that will be his downfall. As he has never faced this kind of entity before," the Fallen remarked, examining one hand briefly. "A Gundam... like himself, but not. One made from artificial means and the Dark Substance."_

 _"..." The speaker was silent as they examined the Gundam as he clashed with the Grimm. Their two fists met, delivering a shockwave that rocked the arena._

 _"While he may call himself a Gundam, he is far from one. He is a Fallen, in heart, in mind, and in spirit," the Fallen sneered._

 _"...Sammael... you're one cunning son of a bitch," the speaker sneered back. Then a look of seriousness flooded their eyes. "But do not get overconfident."_

 _"I am far from it... Beast..." Sammael remarked. "I'm always planning ahead. And if he does fail, then it will only prove that he needs more training. If he lives and retreats... then it will showcase the potential for more of his breed..." His small sneer turned into a grin. "I see potential in many things, so... do not underestimate_ me _."_

 _Then his red eyes flashed. "Unless you_ want _me to make a careless move..."_

 _The speaker snorted. "Hardly. Do as you wish. I will make my move when you command... or I deem fit."_

 _Sammael rolled his eyes before turning back to the Fallen Gundam._

 _"Soon indeed..." he sneered. "Joseph Matthews... you shall meet your opposite, indeed..."_


	22. Arc II - Pleas

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: The Mousekewitz Family_

 _The Mousekewitz family is a very notable Mobian family in Russia, having made violins to sell to musicians. Starting off as mere peasants, they became something of an oddity amongst the poor folk of Russia, with nobility coming to them for their violins. As time passed, the Mousekewitz family grew a reputation for making good quality, and in some cases, superior, violins compared to others of the day. This led to them becoming quite wealthy, but only in the eyes of the poor. In modern terms, the family had become middle class._

 _As the years passed, the Mousekewitz family retained their reputation in selling superior quality violins, but some members even took political stances, sometimes leading to them being ostracized by Russian society. But for the most part they were left alone, protected by their position and reputation. However..._

 _Things changed in the twentieth century. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the family came under attack by the Russian Mafia in Moscow, where one of their members, Ruskov Mousekewitz dared to speak out in public of the corruption within higher circles of Russian politics. This forced the family to flee to Colorado in America, where they took up residence in a small town not too far from the state capital of Denver._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Sometimes speaking out in defense of something you believe in can be a risk, especially in countries or worlds that don't take too kindly to stuff like that. That often makes you the target of your opponents then. And oftentimes it can lead to death in certain cultures. In one world, you may be targeted for doing such a thing, but in another world, maybe your words have spurred people to action," TOM explained as he closed the file on the Mousekewitz family. "Kings and emperors don't like their subjects speaking out on their policies. Dictators try to silence their opponents through secret police and other means, sometimes even creating and causing accidents that are in reality murders. Democracies on the other hand, are by nature freely letting their citizens speak their minds, usually with a robust free press. That means they can get the facts, and the facts can often hold those in power accountable to the law. So if you live in a democracy that has fought for its freedoms, don't take it for granted. Sometimes even civilians have to take action to keep their country and culture safe from people in power who wish to go against their society's norms." He leaned back and pressed a button on the arm rest of his chair.

"So, think through what you wish to do before you do it. After all, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions."

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 ** **I **t's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (****** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 ** **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (**** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 ** **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (**** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 ** ** **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (****** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 ** ** **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (****** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 ** ** **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (****** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 ** ** **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (****** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ )

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of blue energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show the white-clad warrior known as Omnimon_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 ** **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING****

 **Arc II: Pleas**

* * *

The last few months were a reprieve for me and Tina when we returned from Flowertopia. That gave us time to rest and recover from our adventure, and catch up with our friends.

As it turned out, there wasn't much information on Mandark Industries, so that lead proved to be a bust. But they were surprised when we told them about our adventure and what we uncovered on the island. The discovery of not just the Wailing Woman, but also the fact that she was a Fallen led to a possible theory that in addition to the presence of a Fallen child, the Wailing Woman drew the Grimm to the island with her Semblance as well.

All the evidence we had pointed to that being the case, even if we didn't have much else to confirm it. So we decided to take it easy after we got caught up. During that time, I was also called down to Sebben's office again for another briefing. I told him everything that we uncovered on the island, and he was impressed, but also disturbed that I had let a powerful Fallen get away. Well, more like she escaped me, but that point was moot in the long term scheme of things.

The good news was that we had some time to recover from our adventure, and recuperate.

Of course, that didn't mean we could let our skills go dull.

' _Punch! Then block!_ '

My hand flew out as I punched an imaginary opponent, my left arm bringing my shield up to block their punch, and then I retaliated with a kick to their torso. I leapt back to dodge an invisible blow, landing on the balls of my feet, lightly crouching as I swung with a fist, colliding it against one of their arms and earning a pained grunt.

' _Now duck!_ '

I ducked as their imaginary fist came my way, and I leaned back, their fist barely missing my face. I placed both hands on the ground and lashed out with my feet in an upward kick, delivering a solid blow to their chin as I flipped and landed on my feet, getting up and raising both hands in a fighting stance, like a boxer. I studied their movements, every inch of my frame tense for an attack.

' _Okay. Incoming flurry of kicks... and dodge!_ '

I launched into a series of movements designed to avoid and evade a flurry of kicks from any opponent, almost getting hit, but still avoiding their attack.

And yet I still wasn't fast enough.

I growled to myself as I whirled around in anger and, with a roar of frustration, drove my fist into the ground.

My wings twitched in anger as I stood up and pulled my hand out of the hole I had made with my metal fist. A dull ache resonated in the systems and circuits, but I ignored it, although I did rub my hand a bit.

"Dammit...! Still not fast enough!" I muttered.

I glanced around, my imaginary opponent having faded into nothing. I was outside our home in Denver, standing in the backyard next to a small hole in the dirt. I looked down at my hand, noting the dirt and soil clinging to my joints and fingers. I snorted a bit. It would easily come off with water and soap, but that was beside the point.

I still wasn't fast enough in reflexes.

The reason I was training? To try and take down Aqueela next time I saw her.

Her control over those tendrils was enough to force me to rethink my fighting style. I mean, sure I was fast and strong, but for my whole career as a Hunter so far I was usually relying on overwhelming firepower and strength, not really using my head or processor for battle. But this time things were going to change.

I also was trying to make sure I had more of a chance in case I ran into General Skarr again, as well as Katz, the two most dangerous adversaries I had faced thus far.

"Joseph! Where are you?"

Tina's voice reached out from the interior of the house and through the open back door. I sighed as I flexed my wings and made my way into the house, closing the door behind me. "I'm right here, Tina," I replied.

The Huntress stood off to the side as she leaned against the kitchen doorway. "Good timing." Her blue eyes were dead serious as she looked me right in the optics. "We got a situation."

"What kind?" I asked.

She merely gestured with her head. "Better come and get the details for yourself. They're waiting outside."

"Huh?" Now I was baffled. What did she mean?

Tina unfolded her arms and waved for me to follow her. I did so, confusion flooding my frame.

The group in question was indeed waiting outside, but they were not human or Faunus like I initially assumed.

Instead I was surprised to see a group of four mouse Mobians, each of them looking distressed and worried. I inclined my helm in confusion as I looked to Tina for an explanation.

"Long story short, they need our help," Tina stated simply.

I turned back to look at them, and as they retreated a bit in fear, I winced to myself in my thoughts. Yeah. My appearance sometimes was an unexpected deterrent, given how imposing I looked. I folded my wings against my back to reduce my intimidating stature and causally leaned against the doorway. "You guys looking for someone?" I asked.

"Y-Yes. I-Is this the home of the Dragon?" the male mouse Mobian asked in a distinctly Russian accent. "I was told he lived at this address." Had I been human, I'd have cocked an eyebrow, but instead I tilted my helm to the side.

"Yeah. You're looking at him," I said.

"You're the Dragon of Denver?" the male asked. "Oh, thank Heaven!" He broke out in a relieved laugh as he suddenly grabbed my hand, pulling me out and shaking my hand repeatedly, as well as clapping me on the back with some surprising strength for a mouse Mobian. I grunted and coughed on reflex once he let go of my hand. "We have been searching for you."

"I can see that..." I rasped. "But why?"

"Well... it is best if I start from the beginning. I am Ruskov Mousekewitz, and this is my family. My wife Anzhelina..." He gestured to the heavily set mouse woman beside him. "...my son Fievel..." He nodded to a young mouse wearing a blue hat on his head. "...and my daughter Tanya." The daughter wore a dress and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

"It is a pleasure to meet the Dragon of Denver," Anzhelina remarked with a curtsy.

"Yeah... You too," I said somewhat hesitantly. In truth, I was kind of shocked that this family had sought me out. "So... what's the problem?"

"It's a long story, Dragon-" I cut him off by raising my hand.

"No. Don't call me that," I interjected. "My name is Joseph Matthews, but if you must, call me Dracon." I lowered my hand.

"Ah. Okay. Sorry," Ruskov remarked. "So, as I was saying it is a long story, Dracon."

"Then just tell me everything you can," I said, folding my arms. "We've got time."

And so Ruskov began to explain the situation. He told me of how his family fled Russia in recent years due to speaking out against the corruption in the higher echelons of government, and finding links to the Russian Mafia. He briefly explained about his family's history, and I had to admit I was impressed by the fact that they had provided quality instruments to the Russian nobility prior to their exodus in the later years of the Cold War. This meant that the Mousekewitz family was well known and regarded the world over for their impressive quality violins. Even some American music stores had nothing but good things to say about their instruments.

He came back on track after he explained of how the Mafia had gotten wind of their location and attacked them, taking their youngest daughter hostage and fleeing before the cops or even the closest soldiers could get to them. His eyes were filled with grief and terror and he almost broke down if not for his wife placing a hand on him, although the grief that tore through her eyes was enough to make my reactor ache in my chest.

I held up a hand. "Okay. I've heard enough," I said calmly as I lowered my hand. "So you sought me out because you need my help, right?"

Ruskov nodded. "Yes. You have a reputation as a formidable Huntsman, and your skills seem to speak for themselves," he said. "The Mafia that attacked us were well trained... and that's why we need your help."

I crossed my arms, tapping one finger against my armor. "Hm. Well... we'll need to talk about this."

Ruskov nodded. "I understand. We'll be staying in town for a few days, so just find us at our hotel when you're ready." He gave us the name of the hotel they were staying at, and I recognized it as the hotel me and Tina had first stayed at when we came here: the Brown Palace Hotel.

"All right. We'll keep in touch," I said with a nod.

The four mice Mobians left the house and Tina closed the door behind them.

Once we were sure they were gone, she turned to face me directly.

"So... what do you think, Joseph?" she asked me.

"Well, I'm not sure to be honest," I mused as I unfolded my arms. "This just seems to be a bit odd. I mean... I've never been involved in something like this before."

"Neither have I," Tina admitted. "We're not trained to deal with politics. We're Hunters."

I nodded. "Yeah. So... if we _do_ get involved... we need to be very careful about what we do and say."

Tina was a bit surprised by this, as normally I was more reckless and impulsive. But recent events had opened my optics to the realities of the world, and of how we had to be on high alert for anything that could possibly lead to a new war, something we had to avoid due to the Grimm and Fallen.

"You sure you're fully functional?" Tina asked me. "Because this is not like you."

"Tina, I'm serious. Remember what happened on Flowertopia? That Wailing Woman nearly got the better of me. So... it's time to start thinking smarter," I said.

The Huntress frowned at me, but then she sighed. "Yeah. You got a point there." Then she gazed into my optics. "So... what's the plan? We going to go with it or...?"

"Like we got a choice?" I asked. "I mean..." I was hesitant, to be honest, but then I sighed. "It is our job to help people. So... may as well."

Tina nodded. "All right. But let's be careful, okay?"

I nodded back. "Yeah. I intend on it."

* * *

We met with the Mousekewitz family the next day at the hotel to tell them our decision. And it proved to be a good choice, for they were overjoyed and relieved to hear it. Tina and I debated a bit over who would go with them back to their hometown to examine the scene of the attack, and in the end it was decided that I would go. So I packed up what little I had - just mostly my cloak, my weapons, and my shield - and followed the family back to their hometown.

It was a quaint little mountain town, located on the very outskirts of Denver, which wasn't that far, to be honest. And it wasn't that big or populated, but it was big enough. Their home was located close to their violin store, which was named, ironically, Mousekewitz Violins.

And boy, was the place a mess.

The store's window was shattered and violins of all makes and models littered the floor, some of them crushed and others just broken into pieces. Music stands and sheets lay scattered everywhere and the cash register lay overturned on the floor, its contents spilled all over the place. I could also see that a few lights had been busted in the ensuing struggle, if what I was seeing was correct. It seemed to me like something had happened to cause this fight to break out.

At least that's what the evidence was pointing towards.

I hummed to myself as I knelt close by to one of the sheets of paper, lifting it up to reveal a music sheet. "This definitely looks like the scene of an attack," I mused. Then I turned to face Ruskov. "But this kind of damage only occurs in a fight. Not a mere snatch and grab kidnapping."

The Russian Mobian paused at my words. "You suspect there was a fight?" he asked after a moment.

I nodded. "Yes. I do."

I gestured around us. "This can only have been the result of a fight, not a mere snatch and grab."

"But who would want to fight in my shop?" Ruskov muttered.

I cast my gaze around the destroyed music shop, only for something glinting to catch my optic. I turned and walked over to where the object lay sparkling in the light from the outside. I had to step around a few destroyed violins and overturned stands to get to the sparkling object.

I knelt down beside it and grasped it, pulling it out from behind some shattered violin pieces. Or rather... they looked like they had been shot at...

The object in question turned out to be not a ring like I had initially assumed, but a bullet casing. It wasn't very long, but the fact it was here indicated that there hadn't just been a fight, there had been a shootout.

Now things were starting to look even more grim (no pun intended) to me.

I secretly pocketed the bullet; I decided to send it later to the police chief whom I met a few weeks ago to try and get an idea on where it came from and who had fired it, if at all. I finally stood up and looked around, spotting a few other bullet holes in the walls. "Hmm..."

"Something wrong, Dracon?" Anzhelina asked as she approached.

"Yeah... There just wasn't a fight. From what I can see, it was a shootout of some kind..." I muttered.

"Oh dear!" the woman gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth. "Who would do such a thing?!"

I shrugged. "I have no answers right now, but..." I turned back to the destruction. "I need to know where exactly your daughter was kidnapped."

Tanya scampered through the rubble until she reached a spot near the cash register that had police tape around it. "Here!" she blurted, pointing to it. I approached the spot, only to notice something else afoot. The faint lines on the ground were those of a tracing like those in a murder. And from what I could see, there were specks of what appeared to be dried blood on the floor. But it was so transparent, almost like someone had gone to extreme lengths to try and clean it up.

That sent warnings off in my processor.

Something was wrong here. Terribly wrong, indeed.

"Something's not right here..." I muttered to myself.

I turned to Ruskov as he came over. "When was your daughter kidnapped?" I asked.

"A few days ago. Why?" the Russian asked.

I didn't want to worry him about what I thought at the moment. So instead I provided a different answer. "Because if she was kidnapped a few days ago, that means her kidnappers could be anywhere in the country by now," I said. "And that will make the search that much harder."

And it was true, too.

"A few days... then our youngest baby could be anywhere?" Anzhelina whispered.

I nodded grimly. "That's right," I said.

"But you said you'd help us!" Feivel blurted, his eyes filling with tears.

"And I will," I assured the boy. "But I'm just stating some information. I didn't say it's impossible, just more difficult. Granted it will take longer, but we _will_ find her." I knelt and placed a hand on his head. "I'm not backing down because it's a harder task." I tousled his fur a bit and he grumped, pushing my hand away.

"We cannot thank you for your assistance," his mother said, rubbing her teary eyes with her apron.

"Well, I wouldn't be a Hunter if I didn't help in some way," I joked as I stood up. "Now, let's see if we can reconstruct the attack."

* * *

The reconstruction was pretty hard to do, with so little information, but based on the story I had gotten and the evidence I had spotted, it was clear that someone had come in during the middle of the night and attacked the family as they were closing up shop. That explained the location of the infant girl and the direction the bullets came from. The glass on the floor also indicated a vehicle of sufficient mass had rammed the glass storefront and broke it down before the gunmen came in and started shooting while the kidnapper grabbed the girl.

It all pointed to a very elaborate and well orchestrated kidnapping.

But then we got into the murky parts, mostly related to the _motive_ of the actions.

I knew from watching other shows that most hostage takers needed a motive or reason. But since this one had just been done so abruptly and so quickly meant that something else was afoot. Like the motive was entirely unknown, or maybe nonexistent. I hated to admit it, but the second option seemed to be the most likely, as children were sometimes kidnapped with no real motive. And those kinds of people were more difficult to find and gather information from.

Finally we had to call it quits. There just wasn't enough information to ascertain a motive yet.

I was preparing to leave the shop that evening when I spotted something lying on the floor, partially buried beneath a pile of violin shards. I knelt and slowly removed it before slipping it underneath my cloak. I bade the Mousekewitz family goodbye and left the shop, taking flight and preparing to head home. As I flew though, I pulled out the piece of paper I had grabbed, and was surprised to see it was a flyer.

I hummed to myself in my thoughts.

From what I had seen and witnessed, it seemed like the Mousekewitzs were in need of a break as their worry for their missing daughter was starting to wear them down.

I had no idea that we were in for an adventure of a lifetime later that week.

Right now though I had other things to worry about.

The next day was a dreary day, so I wasn't too keen on heading out. And actually it gave me some time to relax and try to figure out a plan of action. Of course I didn't tell the Mousekewitz family my plan, but I did inform Tina of the idea, and she was surprised at it. But then again, given the circumstances surrounding this case and the strange kidnapping of a young mouse Mobian, it was the only plan we really had. So she agreed to handle the case with the police back home here while I was to go with the family to where the flyer originated from.

I spent the next hours getting my stuff ready, as well as checking over my arsenal. I currently had the loadout assembled in the room I had designated as my personal armory on a table in front of me. Of course I still had my fin funnels attached to my wings, along with my shield and sword. But the rest was before me. I had my arms folded across my chest as I looked at my weapons.

I was torn between bringing along my shoulder missile pods or the Gatling guns, or just my beam magnum and its rotary launcher. To be honest, I was torn on this. It also didn't help much that I had also received a surprise upgrade in the form of two beam pistols that looked like they could be attached to my side skirt armor. I knew the pros and cons of each weapon, mostly because I had used them or at least read up on the specs on my HUD.

In the end I decided to go with the beam pistols as that would be more suitable for the place we were going to hit as part of my plan.

Once I was set, I put the rest of my weapons back against the walls and left, the beam pistols latched onto my skirt armor.

Tina was waiting for me outside the room. "So... you got things set?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. We're going to be heading out tomorrow. Except we'll need to go at different times to better blend in with the tourists there."

Her eyes softened as she looked at me. "Just be careful..." she whispered.

My optics softened as well as I placed a hand on her shoulder. "I will," I told her. "I promise."

A small smile graced her features as she wrapped her arms around me in a hug. I returned the gesture and we parted.

I was off in a flash, flying back to the Brown Palace Hotel and heading into the room belonging to the Mousekewitz family.

They were surprised when I told them that we were going to go on vacation, but at their protests I justified it stating that they needed a break from the investigation into their youngest daughter's disappearance. They protested, but I was firm on my decision and they reluctantly agreed that it was for the best.

So we decided to head out in a few days. Or rather we were to head out and arrive each a few days apart. I also suggested it be better if we arrived separately or in groups of two, and although they were confused, I just said it was to better blend in, given where we were going.

So I spent the next few days getting ready for the trip. Of course, it was not something I'd like to put down in writing, so that's why I decided to do a log instead of a journal. Anyway, I gathered up some necessary clothing for the trip - and it was only to disguise myself, mind you - so I wouldn't stand out. After all, since I wasn't even human anymore, I needed to keep my Gundam appearance secret from any potential enemies.

And boy, was I right in going incognito.

The Mousekewitz family decided to split up in groups of two, with Anzhelina and Feivel going first to our vacation destination, and then Ruskov and Tanya going second. I left the area last, choosing to travel by train to a small town close to our destination. The town itself wasn't too big, but it did have a depot for the antique steam train coming through every few days. I managed to get on board with minutes to spare, and I handed over the ticket I had purchased on the bullet train from Denver.

(Yeah, we have a bullet train. Turns out that the city chose it for its safety record and well... it's become something of a trial run for the country as a whole. So... anyway, back to the matter at hand.)

The steam engine was very old, but it was in good condition. And I had to admit, riding this thing was not that bad an experience. I mean... it provided me with a whole new appreciation for not just the modern era, but at the same time gave me an appreciation for the past rail transportation as well. Especially since the train was from the old days of settling the wild west.

And with it came a whole new perspective.

I found an empty compartment and ducked inside to get some peace and quiet. The train was rather rowdy with tourists and guests, so it made sense I needed someplace to gather my thoughts and think. I sat down on the leather seat, and I actually found it quite comfortable, but I kept that part to myself. I folded my arms across my chest and leaned back, making sure the edges of my wings didn't poke through the material. That was the last thing I needed on this trip: to pay for damages I unintentionally caused.

Anyway, I leaned back and turned to look out the carriage window as the trees and grasses faded into harsh desert sand. I could see a few cacti and animal bones here and there, but what really got me was the landscape. Every so often I could see old western style towns as the train whipped past them; none of them had a train station or depot. I could also see Grimm prowling the land, and for once I was glad for the train. It was fast, but not as fast as a bullet train; its speed was still sufficient to outrun most Grimm though.

I shifted in the seat and turned my gaze from the outside back down to the lone flyer I still carried with me.

I pulled it out from my cloak and looked at it, a hum escaping my chest.

The flyer depicted a small, nice looking town situated in the middle of the desert, with a river running through it and providing it with clean water and vegetation. People, Faunus, and Mobians were shown in pictures partaking in many different events and activities, including hiking, mining for gold, and exploring old ruins in the area.

But what was really intriguing was the fact that this place was advertised as the safest place in the Wildlands.

Somehow I highly doubted it.

I slipped the flyer back under my cloak and looked at my reflection in the window, taking in the outfit I had donned for the occasion.

I still wore my cloak, which was necessary as it was a part of my attire at this point. But also I had donned a cowboy hat, with my V-fin poking through a hole in the brim, of course, giving it the appearance of an ornate decoration for the hat. I also wore a cowboy vest on my chest to somewhat hide the metallic armor and my psychoframe. My lower legs were covered with boot coverings, and on my ankle guards I had magnetized a pair of spurs to add to the illusion. My beam pistols of course were attached to my side skirt armor, giving me the appearance of a cowboy.

Actually, it was kind of fitting, given the location I was approaching.

The trip there took a full three hours, so when the train pulled into the station, I was partially bored out of my processor.

I wasn't in much of a hurry, but I still wanted to get on with the investigation pronto.

So I grabbed what few possessions I brought in a rucksack and stood up, exiting the compartment and following the other guests and passengers out into the harsh desert sun.

I was glad for the hat at the moment as the sun was bright. My optics adjusted for the harsh light, but it still helped somewhat.

I looked at the nearby sign and my optics hardened.

"Time to begin..." I muttered.

I walked right past the sign and into the town.

 **WELCOME TO GREEN RIVER RESORT!**

 **An authentic Wild West experience for everyone!**

* * *

The town was small, I had to admit.

Perhaps a little _too_ small.

But I chalked it up as to being because it was a resort.

From what I could see as I strode down the main street, there were a number of places located in any normal wild west town I had seen. It had a saloon at the end of the main street while a small general store was nestled to the left and a large modern hospital - which was a huge surprise and relief at once - towered over the other buildings. I also could see the old church and cemetery, along with stables and a water tower located close by the station.

A few homes lurked further back, and two of them looked as if they were run down. I hummed to myself as I looked around. Surely there had to be a hotel close by, right?

My question was answered when I picked out a huge structure located much further back from the town. I turned my gaze in that direction and zoomed in on it. My optics flashed with surprise as I saw it was a modern hotel, similar to what one would find in the Wisconsin Dells. But it still had that bit of Wild West flare to its exterior design. I hummed to myself in appreciation, as well as mild relief. There was a much, much smaller hotel located in the town itself, but it was too cramped and dingy. Still, I needed to blend in, so I checked in and was given the keys to a room that was actually much nicer than the hotel's exterior appearance belied.

I wondered where the Mousekewitz family was going to stay, but I brushed it aside and unpacked my few belongings.

The rucksack contained a small pile of tools for basic repairs, and it also carried my Dracon funnel fangs, which I was not about to leave behind at any rate since I might have need for them.

I dumped the rucksack into one of the drawers and then closed it up. Once that was done, I turned and exited the room.

Before we had left, me and the Mousekewitzs had discussed a meeting place and we eventually decided to meet at the saloon in town. So that was where I headed to.

And that was where things began for all of us.

* * *

 _He sat in the corner of the saloon, his eyes flicking over the guests as they traveled in and out. Sure he was making a killing with this gig, but it was his_ real _passion that lay beneath the legal finery and glitz and glamour. He hummed to himself in satisfaction as he watched a finely prepared dish be brought out for some hungry guests._

 _His lips quivered as he tried to refrain from licking them._

 _The inner gourmet was pleading for a nibble, but he reigned it in using his incredible willpower._

 _He was not known as The Gentlemanly Cat for nothing._

 _He adjusted himself on his seat as he turned to look at the door, his keen ears picking up what sounded like heavy footsteps. Heavy metal ones, at that._

 _He cocked an eyebrow as the doors were flung open, revealing a rather tall man standing in the doorway._

 _A tattered traveling cloak concealed the majority of his form from sight, but what little he could pick out indicated he could be a powerful opponent. His shoulders were rather broad, and he was armed with two pistols attached to his waist. His face was entirely concealed by his cloak's collar, and on his hat was an ornate V-shaped crest; no doubt for intimidation purposes, he mused. Some travelers tended to don such things to frighten their adversaries. What little else he could see gave off that he was not just a cowboy. Dark blue could be seen on his chest, and he figured he must've donned some armor to at least protect his vital organs. It wasn't uncommon for people to get impaled by a Grimm out here, really; so it made sense in his opinion._

 _But that didn't explain the heavy thunks his boots made on the wooden floor._

 _The man ducked his head lower as he passed by several other guests, some of whom started to whisper excitedly amongst themselves before being shushed by others. He smiled a bit. He always enjoyed devouring the juicy gossip they told. It made his life so much richer to know whom would be coming to and from his businesses._

 _Even so, there was something about this newcomer that threw him on edge. Was it the way he carried himself?_

 _That seemed to be rather likely._

 _He turned his gaze back from the newcomer to the rest of the saloon._

 _He could always inquire about the man later, anyway._

 _The show was about to start. And he didn't want to miss it for the world._

* * *

I wasn't too impressed by the interior of the saloon, really. After having been in Sebben's office more than once, I had sufficiently lowered the standards I was seeing in the places I went.

But even so, the atmosphere it gave off was one of opulence, something unheard of in a Wild West town.

I could see chandeliers hanging on the ceiling, and the red of the curtains was an elegant color, indicating perhaps it had been imported from another country. The glasses were fine and the beer I guessed had to have been imported as well. The wood was local, but it was highly polished and I swore if it were shined any further I could've used it as a mirror.

But I ignored those thoughts and turned my gaze back to the location around me.

I knew the Mousekewitz family had to be here.

So I settled in to wait for them.

I leaned back and placed my feet on the table, taking care to keep the majority of my frame hidden by my cloak. I folded my arms and pulled the cowboy hat lower over my face to hide my optics from sight, to add to the illusion I was bored and waiting for something interesting to happen.

I had no idea how interesting things were about to become during our stay there.


	23. Arc II - Destination

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Green River Resort_

 _The Green River Resort is a resort community that has been modeled after a wild west town of the same name. The town itself was established during the Gold Rush in the 19th century, but due to the conditions of living in the Wildlands, the community was nearly devastated more than once. Very few people actually moved there due to how often it would be attacked by bandits and warlords. Those few brave enough to live there never lasted more than a few months at best due to how harsh the lifestyle was._

 _As the Gold Rush died down, the town's main source of income began to dry up, and Green River had to reinvent itself to survive. It became a small Dust mining town, and it did manage to hold on until the Second World War, which brought in a huge mining boom to create Dust weapons for combating the Grimm and Nazis both in Europe. By the time the war ended, the town had suffered a loss in Dust as the mines were beginning to dry up. The loss of this new source of revenue nearly cost the town its livelihood and remaining population. But thankfully salvation was on the horizon._

 _Around 1965 a real estate developer found out about the town and its history. He put forth a generous offer for the people of the community. They were to sell him the land so he could turn it into a resort, but they'd be allowed to live there so long as they helped to give the new resort community an authentic wild west feel. Of course some claimed it to be servitude, prompting those few residents to leave. But for the most part the townsfolk have accepted the condition, and the developer also granted them compensation for the job they were to perform. Money, education, and even a modern hospital, which helped save the lives of the children born there._

 _The hospital, while a stark contrast to the buildings around it, has also provided essential and much needed medical services to the guests as well._

 _While some say that the modern hospital is a blight on the otherwise authentic community, most others don't even really say bad things about it. In fact, they say it has saved more lives than not._

 _The town has since become a tourist hotspot, bringing in guests from all over the globe, and even offering real wild west activities like hunting, hiking, mining for gold, and visiting ancient ruins close by. A more modern resort was built not too far from the town for those with a more modern taste in lodging, but most prefer Green River's primitive lodgings for a more realistic experience._

 _A major tourist website has given the resort town a five-star rating, saying that there is no better place for a real authentic wild west experience for everyone._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Resort communities are often seen as places for the rich and wealthy. But what about those that are meant for everyone? How many of those exist?" TOM asked as he closed down the Green River Resort file. He leaned back in his seat and tented his fingers. "Take the Wisconsin Dells for example. It offers a lot of places for people to spend the night at, as well as a wide variety of activities and places to have food and to just have good old family fun. Then there is Lake Geneva, which in one reality is a booming resort community on the Geneva Lake, and in another is a crime-ridden dump. So who knows what the resort communities will be like in a different reality? For all we know, they could be the same, or they could take on another life all their own. So do not waste any time planning a vacation in a dumpster heap of a town. But in another reality, it could be a different place altogether." TOM pressed a button on his chair's armrest and leaned back to watch the screen.

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ )

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of blue energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show the white-clad warrior known as Omnimon_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Destination**

* * *

I hummed to myself as I watched the guests coming and going in the saloon.

I had to admit, it was quite interesting to see people coming and going, along with Faunus and Mobians of all ages.

Now all I had to do was wait for the Mousekewitz family.

The only issue was that I had no idea what they'd be wearing, if anything. Let alone when they arrived, or if they even arrived at all. We had worked out the meeting place, but not a signal to let us know that we had arrived.

And that was a stupid mistake on my part, I realized as I slapped my faceplate in embarrassment.

Thankfully I didn't need to wait for long though. I lifted my head as I heard the doors open, and I directed my optics to the doorway. I wasn't surprised to see some newcomers to the saloon, but what surprised me was _who_ it was.

One of them wore a blue hat on his head, and that gave me a heads up that it was Feivel. His eyes were wide as he looked around, and his father was pensive as he cast his gaze about the room. His mother was also a little nervous, but Tanya was in awe at what she saw. Her mouth fell open as her gaze flitted towards the stage and I wondered if she was drawn to being a singer.

That did seem to be the case.

However, I pulled myself back to reality in the nick of time as they started to walk towards my corner of the room. I folded my arms over my chest as I watched them from under the cover of my hat.

They clearly hadn't dressed for the locale at all, but I guess it didn't really matter in the long run. Not everyone was dressed up for it, anyway.

As the group walked towards one of the open tables, I shifted a bit to get their attention. I slowly lifted my hat up with a finger, revealing my violet optics to them. "Howdy, pardners," I joked.

Ruskov was startled, but to his credit he didn't scream out or even yelp. He just staggered back a bit before he regained his composure. "Oh... it's only you," he breathed, trying to catch his breath.

"Sorry. But I had to do something to remain disguised," I said as I sat up, placing my feet on the floor. "So, I take it you arrived separately?" I made sure to lower my voice as they nodded.

The Russian family filed into the booth I was sitting at, making sure to at least give me some space to get out if I needed to.

"We took your suggestion to heart. But I do not understand why you suggested we go on vacation when we're trying to find our youngest daughter," Ruskov stated in a hushed tone. "Little Yasha should be your priority!"

"I know," I said softly. "But you guys looked like you could use this break." In truth, I was not just here for vacation. But I was not letting them know that. "Just trust me. I know what I'm doing."

Ruskov was unsure, but he relented and nodded. "Very well."

We sat there for a few minutes, unsure of what to talk about. So instead I diverted my attention to looking around the saloon, my sensors and optics scanning for anything or any _one_ out of the ordinary. In truth, I wasn't even sure if the lead I was following was any good. I wasn't that good of an investigator, but I did know a few things. Just... not anything really important.

Still, my gut was telling me to be on alert. And strangely enough, my psychoframe was acting up. A slight twinge resonated in my processor along with a faint pressure, almost like something else was in my thoughts. I jerked a bit in surprise, trying to figure out what that pressure was, or where it was coming from. But as quickly as it came, it was gone.

' _Whoa! That was new..._ ' I thought. ' _I... I've never felt anything like that before. What_ was _that pressure...?_ '

I looked around, trying to find the source of where it had come from, or even the direction. But nothing greeted my optics and I leaned back, folding my arms across my chest. ' _And why now? I mean... sure I can get the idea of the twinges, but that? Is this some unknown property of the psychoframe?_ '

It seemed to be. But I chose to ignore it for now and finally resumed scanning around me.

I wasn't too sure as to what was going to happen next, but something told me to be ready. And I would be ready for it.

Whatever it was.

I finally shook my helm and forced myself to focus on the matter at hand. I glanced around, my optics scanning the crowd for anything or anyone that could have prompted that pressure in my processor. But nothing greeted me.

Feivel, Tanya and their parents were now splitting off to explore and just mingle with the crowd, leaving me to my thoughts.

I bowed my head and pulled the hat over my optics again as one of the waitresses came by the table. "What'll it be, big guy?" she asked in a sultry voice. The tone was enough to send shudders down my back struts, but I ignored it. I peeked out from under the brim of my hat, just enough to take notice of her.

She was a cat Mobian, with a large fluffy tail and a nice, curvy figure. She had long red hair and she was dressed in a sleek purple gown that clung to her curves like a second skin. A necklace adorned her neck and she had pretty green eyes, and she wore a feather in her hair, but not like an Indian feather. It was more like one of those ornamental feathers that rich ladies wore on their hats back in the 19th century.

"You gonna order?" she asked, a distinct Empire City accent in her voice.

I shook my head. "No. I already had something before I came in," I said, trying to cover up the lack of a need for food.

"Suit yourself," the cat Mobian said as she flicked her tail. She winked at me as she walked off, and I caught a glimpse of a knowing gleam in her eyes. I tensed briefly beneath my cloak, feeling the hydraulics in my frame tightening in response. She must've seen through the disguise, I thought. I needed to be craftier if I was to remain unnoticed.

The cat Mobian wandered over to another table where a very elegantly dressed male cat Mobian sat, his eyes flicking over the guests and tourists. His eyes were a brown color, and he wore a red and maroon suit with top hat and cape. He had in one hand a cane, and on his left eye was a monocle. He gave the waitress his order and then looked in my direction.

My violet optics met his brown eyes, and then we made direct eye and optic contact.

Right then a twinge from my psychoframe resonated in my processor and I nearly clapped a hand to my helm, but I refrained because it was gone as quickly as it came. The cat Mobian went back to his menu, no doubt to order an entrée for lunch. But I was confused. Just what the hell had happened there?

I finally turned my gaze back to the crowd, but some small part of my thoughts were still lingering on what had caused me to get that twinge and pressure a second time. I forced the thoughts from my processor as I looked around, still trying to get an inkling of anything out of the ordinary. The crowd was resuming its lunch rush, and I saw, out of the corner of my optic, Feivel and his family sitting down at an empty booth to get something to eat.

So far nothing out of the ordinary was happening. And in fact, everything seemed calm.

Unless one counted the huge hairy spider Mobian crawling along the ceiling...

Wait.

Spider Mobian?!

My head shot up to look at the ceiling as the spider Mobian sneered, his eyes landing on a Mobian family with an infant in her high chair. His lips curled back into a sadistic grin and he licked his lips eagerly, as if he wanted to feast upon the infant.

Before I knew it, I was scrambling to my feet and my beam pistols were in my hands, aiming at the Mobian. "Hey!" I barked.

He perked up at my voice and looked down at me, his golden tooth gleaming. "Well... seems we have a newcomer!" he sneered in a nasally voice. I shuddered to myself at the sound of it.

I kept my beam pistols aimed at him as he lowered his head and spat something onto the beam he clung to. Then he began to descend, his feet wrapped in spider silk. Now I could see what he looked like more clearly.

He was a big Mobian, all right. I had to guess he was about the size of a teenage cat Mobian, and he wore clothing appropriate for the setting: a cowboy hat on his head and a blue kerchief tied around his neck. Six of his feet were clad in brown cowboy boots, and he had a holster for a set of dual pistols strapped around his thorax. His last two feet - hands - were free and they flexed as his silvery eyes gleamed in excitement.

"Just who the hell are you, and what were you even planning on doing to that child?!" I growled, my voice resonating over the saloon's chamber.

Out of the corner of my optic, I spotted the male cat Mobian slowly lowering his menu, his brown eyes flickering thoughtfully before he laid it down and tented his fingers as he studied us. I forced my gaze to return back to my opponent as his hands flew for his pistols and drew them out. I caught the glimmer of ice Dust in the rounds and I felt my reactor leap into my throat. I gulped nervously. ' _Okay... This is not gonna be easy..._ ' I thought to myself as we both tensed for combat.

* * *

 _The first thing he did was hum as he studied the two gunslingers._

 _One of them he knows._

 _The other is a mystery._

 _His eyes flicked over them both before the first one, his... associate... fired a single round. The ice Dust-laced bullet struck the ground near the newcomer's foot, but he was much faster than his appearance belied. He leapt back and landed as the ice froze the spot where his foot had been mere seconds ago. He let out a purr of amusement as his associate fired a few more rounds, forcing the newcomer to dodge them all._

 _Already people were starting to take notice of the gunfight, and they were starting to get rather excited. A small smirk played across his features as he leaned into his tented fingers._

 _A gunfight was all good and well for some publicity. As long as no one got hurt, of course. Which was why most gunfights tended to rely mostly on either ice Dust or lightning Dust for the combatants to use in their rounds. Oh sure there were a few times when people got hurt, but for the most part the injuries had been rather minor, compared to some other fights that_ did _get rather ruthless._

 _He watched as the newcomer aimed his twin pistols and fired off several shots as well, but unlike his associate's guns, these did not use Dust bullets. Instead, and much to his surprise, they used beam energy, something that was still in the testing stages, last he had heard. So then how was it this cowboy was using such pistols?!_

 _Despite having better guns, the cowboy's aim was off, he noted in amusement. His associate barely avoided a couple shots, but the rest went wide, striking the teak flooring and/or the walls of the saloon. He grimaced to himself, but he knew it could easily be repaired. He was more than willing to make some sacrifices for the sake of his business, after all..._

* * *

The spider Mobian sneered as I kept firing, but most of my shots were going wide. I hissed through my vents as I realized that I was missing more than anything. "Dammit...!" I muttered.

Despite my experience with my other long range weapons, I had not taken into account the fact that I had no experience with handheld guns like these. In fact, the only reason I had even won some of those fights was because I had greater firepower. Without using my fin funnels, beam burst gun, or beam magnum, I was next to useless. And hand-to-hand, sword fighting, and brute strength were not going to cut it here.

I needed to try and get an edge. But how?

My optics flicked around the saloon trying to find a way to get the upper hand, only for my thoughts to be interrupted by the Mobian's cackling as he fired a few ice Dust rounds my way. I barely had time to flip over the rounds, surprising many of the guests, before the spider was on the move, scuttling along the floor and up the wall for a better vantage point. I growled to myself as I landed and whipped my frame around, my targeting system kicking in and the reticle flickered in my line of sight. I waited for it to turn green, only for the Mobian to scramble out of my line of sight. The reticle flashed red and a _Target Lost_ warning flashed on my HUD.

I hissed through my vents and my wings twitched.

"Not good..." I whispered under my breath.

The spider's nasally voice whistled from the ceiling and I shot my gaze up, only to realize my mistake as he spat something sticky and white at my face. I ducked to the left as the blob of goop landed on the floor, becoming a spiderweb. I growled to myself as I looked up, flaring my optics on instinct. I aimed one of my pistols again and fired, this time the shot striking just inches from his left 'hand'.

His eyes took on a panicked expression and he glanced at me. I smirked to myself in my thoughts as he retreated, but then my mental smirk faded as I saw he was coming back around, his gun aiming right for my left hand, no doubt to try and disarm me.

I reacted by spinning aside, only to whirl around again and fire my second pistol in his direction. The spider hissed as he scuttled along the ceiling, his eyes flickering in rage as he puckered his lips and spat that same white glop at me. I ducked it, but barely. My optics landed on one of the chandeliers he was close to, and an idea formed in my processor. I whipped my right pistol around and fired at it striking the edge and sending it flying right for the spider. His eyes bugged out and he panicked, dropping from the ceiling onto the floor before he righted himself and scuttled off into the shadowy corners of the saloon.

I watched him with my infrared sensors, but by the time I was able to aim my pistol at him...

He was gone. I was surprised as his signature dropped off my sensors and scanners. Confused, I expanded them to full range and did a few systems checks. Everything came back in working order. So... how was it that Mobian was able to vanish from my sensors like that?

I warily lowered my pistols and reattached them to my skirt armor before I noticed that people were watching me. I looked around, and then slowly they began to clap and cheer. I was startled by this.

Some small part of me niggled at my processor, and I remembered then that this was a wild west resort, so it made sense they'd have gunfights here sometimes to add to the authenticity of the town. And I had just partaken in one such event, mostly without meaning to. I shrugged my cloak closer to my frame and pulled my hat down over my optics again as I made my way back to my table.

I sat down and placed my feet back on it, folding my arms across my chest again. ' _Dammit... I really gotta be careful out here..._ ' I thought to myself. ' _Any more moves like that and I risk blowing myself wide open to Yasha's kidnappers._ '

And boy, was I right.

I did need to be careful, seeing as how this place was smack dab in the middle of the Wildlands, to boot.

Some small part of me felt glad that the Denver Bullet didn't come out this far, but another part was feeling kind of smug because that train was the fastest in the entire continental United States - rumors said that it was able to pass by and even _outrun_ smaller Grimm hordes. Of course, I couldn't verify them because the few times I had taken the bullet train there hadn't been many Grimm around.

Anyway, I was so busy thinking I didn't even hear the sounds of footsteps creeping up to me.

"Well, a mighty fine show you put on," a cultured voice purred from beside me.

It took all I had to prevent myself from yelping as I jerked and almost toppled to the floor of the saloon. I barely managed to catch myself in time by grabbing onto the edge of the table - and I had to try _very_ hard to keep my wings from flaring open to help my balance. I looked up, my optics landing on the same cat Mobian from before.

I was instantly wary. "So? What about it?" I asked, sitting back down. "That spider was after one of the infants here."

"And I must say it was a pleasure to see how elegantly you fought," the Mobian said as he gave a flourish of his cape.

I snorted to myself through my vents. ' _This guy really needs to lay off the theatrics!_ ' I thought. "Hardly if I kept missing," I retorted.

"Hardly? My dear chap, you proved to be a skilled marksman if your aim on that chandelier was any indication," the Mobian insisted. "It's very difficult to hit such a target at times."

I rolled my violet optics as best I could. "Sure..." I drawled. "So, what's the deal? Why you here?"

The cat Mobian smiled. "My name is Cat. R. Waul, and I am the proprietor if this establishment. More specifically, the entire resort town. I'm sure you know of its history, yes?"

"Yeah. The flyer says it all," I said. "But that doesn't explain why you're here."

"I wanted to congratulate you on a fine performance in that gunfight. For someone who's new here, your skills with a gun are very good. And if that scoundrel ever shows up again... he'll be in for it big time!" Cat replied.

Somehow I doubted his words on my pistol marksmanship. But I wisely kept quiet, instead letting him think I was drinking in the praise. He was wrong on all counts though. Not that I was gonna mention it, of course. I finally made to stand, and Cat noticed this.

"Oh? Are you planning on leaving?" he asked.

"Yes. I have an appointment to keep," I said, trying to sound like I was busy. ' _And to get away from theatrical freaks like you!_ ' I thought angrily.

Now for a bit of background. See, I wasn't too keen on the theatrics of Huntsmen or heroes like Major Glory, and for good reason: it was too conspicuous. It made them stand out to their enemies. Sure it may have been a morale booster, but it was downright obvious as to who they were. Hunters of all walks in life tended to wear more modest and rather regular clothing, so as to not stand out as much to their enemies.

My grandfather was someone who taught me that to be a Huntsman was not to be obvious, but to be hidden in plain sight. That meant no flashy capes, no grandiose costumes, no catchphrases, no nothing. Just you, your weapon, your skills, and whatever Aura or Semblance you possessed. That was all it took. (It also helped he had been a military man, having fought in World War II on all major fronts, starting in Europe and ending in the Pacific theater.) I took his words to heart, and they still stuck with me all this time.

To hear about people like Major Glory made me sick to my nonexistent stomach, which was saying something.

And to encounter another individual with a flare for theatrics just rubbed wrongly on me.

Plus I just didn't like it when heroes like him flaunted their abilities in plain sight. Another mark against him in my book; I was also told that to get the enemy by surprise one had to hold some cards close to one's chest. And I was not about to play all my cards today in one go.

So I left the saloon, trying to get away from Cat and his theatrics.

I exited the building, striding as quickly as I could down the dusty main street, my cloak billowing out behind me as I walked.

The sun beat down hard on my armor and cloak, forcing me to adjust my optics to better handle the light. As I walked, I failed to notice someone watching me with interest in his eyes.

"Man... sometimes I just don't get the whole idea with theatrics..." I muttered to myself. "I mean... c'mon! Glory Boy is one thing, but now that Cat guy?" I snorted. "Hardly a Hunter..."

I made my way to the old post office and sat down on the edge of the porch.

I sighed through my vents as I looked at the dusty desert ground beneath my feet.

I sat there for fifteen minutes before a voice rumbled beside me.

"Something wrong, son?"

I jerked my head up and looked around, my optics finally landing on the speaker.

He was an old dog Mobian, clad in an old cowboy shirt and vest, pants, and old leather boots. Spurs clung to the heels of his boots and his cowboy hat had a bite mark on its brim. A pair of holsters held his pistols and he looked like he had seen better days.

"Oh. No. Nothing's wrong," I said. "I'm just a bit... uneasy about some people who tend to rely on theatrics more than practicality for their job as heroes or Hunters."

"Oh. That's understandable," the old Mobian rumbled as he sat down beside me. He crossed his legs and leaned back against the post behind him. "Sometimes people these days fail to see that simplicity is best, unless it's when they're facing down foes that force them to use more advanced new-fangled technology."

I snorted a bit. "True. My grandfather served in WWII and fought on all major fronts. He served with only a machine gun, his Aura and Semblance, and his skills as a Hunter prior to his enlistment. Never failed to get through unharmed. He taught me some important lessons that I apply to my career."

"A wise man, then." The Mobian grinned wryly. "Not too many people these days have such wisdom."

I nodded. "I guess you're right. But who knows? I just grew up with those kinds of heroes, and my grandfather always told me how stupid it was for them to be flaunting their abilities as well as making themselves stand out. But then again... I guess I can see where the costumes and flashy capes could be a morale booster in some cases... Makes me uneasy though... as well as sick to my stomach..." I grunted. ' _If I had one..._ ' I mentally added.

The dog snorted a bit as if in laughter. "That is true, son. But just remember that everyone has their own way of doing things." He patted his pistols with his paws. "I know I do. And I've never lost a gunfight."

"Never?" I looked at him in confusion.

"Nope. But that's a tale for another time," he said. He stood up and stretched his body, popping his joints. "I have to get back to my post. I'll see you around, son."

As the Mobian walked off, I couldn't help but notice he had a slight limp to his right leg, and that he seemed to carry himself the same way a Hunter would. This made me wonder if he had been a former Hunter before an injury took him off the front lines in this war against the Grimm and Fallen.

I shrugged. Maybe he had been, but he probably didn't want to talk about it. Some Hunters when they retired refused to speak of their work, mostly because of personal reasons.

I forced the thoughts from my processor as I stood up and flared my wings wide open, feeling the joints pop before I refolded them, hiding them under my cloak.

I decided to head back to the hotel and try and get some rest before I met back up with the Mousekewitz family.

I reached under my cloak and pulled out the flyer again, consulting it to see what activities were available.

Much to my surprise, one of them was gunfights, rodeos, and even gold mining. Well, given the location, it made sense. So I pocketed the flyer and wandered back to the hotel for some rest.

The owner was out, so I just headed back upstairs and opened the door to my room.

Unlike what I had been expecting, the interior was nicely furnished, with old style lamps and some wooden paneling, the walls painted a nice creamy white color. The curtains were velvet and a bookcase held some old literature that the guest might decide to peruse if they didn't bring their own. A sitting chair was off to the side near the bookcase and a vanity was positioned close to the bed, no doubt for any woman seeking to do her makeup. I rolled my optics as best I could before I sat down at the desk near the door.

Since there was no internet or wireless access for me to send a message to my friends or even Sebben, I grabbed a piece of stationery and pulled out the old quill pen from the ink well on the desk. I had to admit it was kind of quaint to write a letter with an ink quill. I made to write, only to pause as I pondered what I would start with.

In truth, there hadn't been much, aside from that gunfight with the spider Mobian, that had really been eventful. I ran this through my processor a few times before the finished product appeared in my mind. Feeling satisfied with it, I dipped the quill into the ink and began to write.

* * *

 _The interior of the saloon was dead silent as the last of the patrons and guests flowed out._

 _He watched with a sense of pride in his chest as the doors swung shut behind the last departing guest._

 _All was silent before he heard familiar footsteps._

 _Lean and light, but packing deadly power in each one. He knew who this was just from the air that shifted behind him._

 _"So... I hear we have a newcomer... isssn't that right, Mr. R?"_ his _voice asked._

 _"Yes, my good chap," he said, sneering. "And he is quite an interesting one. I know he's a Hunter. Only a Hunter would use weapons like those."_

 _"I am now curiousssss assss to how a Hunter found out about our planssss," his companion hissed, his reptilian eyes glittering in the fading candlelight._

 _"I am unsure myself, but rest assured we will not rest until he is taken out of the picture," he said seriously._

 _His companion hissed as a massive hand landed on the table closest to him. "Why do I get the feeling thissss Hunter issss sssomeone dangeroussss?" he hissed calmly. The tone of his voice sent a shiver down his spine and he had to refrain from shuddering. It would do no good to show weakness in front of his hired help. Especially considering who it was._

 _"He may be, but he is not that good of an aim with those pistols," he purred._

 _"Hardly? That man hassss a ssssecret to hide. And I want to know what it isssss..." the snake-like voice whispered._

 _"And you will. But for now, we have other things to worry about. Like what to do about those Mousekewitzes..." he sneered._

 _The eyes glittered in excitement. "Yesss... indeed..." he chortled. "Indeed we do..."_


	24. Arc II - Tourney

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Chula_

 _Out of all the sinister villains that roam the Wild West, T. R. Chula is perhaps the worst of them all._

 _A huge spider Mobian, he is known for being very slick and sly, relying on his web of lies - and literally - to ensnare his opponents in his traps. He has since amassed a record of being a sociopathic outlaw with very sadistic tendencies that border on being psychopathic. He has been known to eat and devour the helpless, but there have been no photos to prove this claim, let alone any verifiable evidence or accounts from eyewitnesses._

 _Many claim that Chula has always made sure to render the witnesses down to only corpses, but again, no evidence has been found to support that theory._

 _Chula is known to hang around the Mobian only referred to as the Gentlemanly Cat, which brings to mind several cat Mobians, one of which is the serial killer Katz. But no reports have shown this to be the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, coupled with the Huntsmen and Huntresses allied with Sebben - including the Dragon of Denver - have launched multiple investigations to find out just who this spider works for, but nothing has come up, as it is said he is a master of infiltration and throwing enemies off his track. This has led the CIA to conclude he must be an ex-Soviet spy master who immigrated to the US after the fall of the Soviet Union._

 _His past is shrouded in mystery, so no one can confirm if this is true or not._

 _All that is known about him is that he is well armed with two Dust revolvers that fire ice Dust laced bullets, and his abilities with his silver tongue and webs have made him a dangerous threat. He is marked by the Guardsmen as a Tier 1 threat, and must be exterminated on sight._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Ah. The life of a spy. It seems so glamourous at times, and yet it also holds much risk," TOM said as he closed the Chula file. "I have said this once before, but spies are a key part in any nation's arsenal to try and get intelligence on their enemies or even themselves. But what does it mean if a spy betrays their own? That is the question. Do any spies live through that, or are they labeled a threat and exterminated like flies? In some realities, this may be the case, while in others, it may not always be so." He leaned back in his seat and tented his metal fingers. "Sometimes in order to blend in, spies are recruited from people who have nothing to their name, making them the ultimate in infiltrators. And then there are those who have things to their name. Spies are all based on lies and deception, two very powerful assets in war. But you have to remember: truth is more powerful than lies. So if someone tries to convince you otherwise? Well..." He pressed a button on his chair's arm rest and leaned back. "As someone once said, you gotta look beyond the lies to find the truth."

* * *

 _ **(** The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 _ **(** The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of blue energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show the white-clad warrior known as Omnimon_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight** ( _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Tourney**

* * *

 _To my beloved wife Tina._

 _It has been several days since I arrived in this town._

 _I must admit, the journey was quite pleasant, as the rail coach was not too cramped. I did not obtain any drink or food, if you are wondering, so I am fine. However, upon arrival, I was almost beset by wariness, as something about the town seemed a bit... off, in my opinion. I had no idea as to what it meant, so I decided to let it go for the moment._

 _After I checked into the rather lovely little hotel, I proceeded to make my way to the saloon where I met up with my friends, the Mousekewitz family. They had recently arrived as well, coming separately so as to avoid too much suspicion. I must say, they were quite surprised to see my western clothing. But then again, given my profession, it has become something of a necessity to remain undiscovered for prolonged periods of time._

 _It is safe to say that my first day here has been somewhat uneventful. The only eventful thing that has occurred thus far was a gunfight between me and a very disturbing Mobian creature, being of an arachnid type. He was armed with dual pistols, much like myself, but his used ice Dust bullets. I was barely able to hold my own against him, as he used his natural abilities to his advantage. Only when I fired a shot at the chandelier was I able to emerge from the fight triumphant. But alas he escaped me, slipping into the shadows like a specter._

 _It was not long after the fight that I was beset upon by the proprietor of the saloon, a Mobian cat of gentlemanly apparel and cut. He praised me for my skill with the pistol, but I know better. I am far from an expert marksman with them. I must have missed more shots than the usual gunfighter out west here. It pains me to say this in writing, but I need to work on my skills with the pistol. I have decided to practice further off in the desert so as to not harm any of the tourists or guests here. It would not look good on my record as a career Hunter._

 _That evening was a calm one. I met one of the locals as I left the establishment, and he was a friendly sort. Kind of quiet and reserved, but clearly worn down by his years of traveling and work as a Hunter. I have yet to procure his name, but I am sure we will meet again. He and I had a brief chat, but then he had to leave. So I took my time to return to the inn and get some much needed relaxation. I also decided to take the time to compose this letter. But by the time I was sure I was finished, it was beyond my bedtime. So I put it on hold until the next morn._

 _That next day was perhaps one of the most unexpected in my entire career..._

* * *

I groaned as I slowly brought my optics back online.

I rolled over, half expecting Tina to be there next to me, but much to my dismay, she wasn't.

Memory files came flooding back to me and I groaned as I slumped back, my arm falling over my optics. "Oh, yeah... I'm not at home right now..." I muttered. "I can't believe I forgot that..."

I lay there for another few minutes before I got up and rubbed my helm before flaring my wings and arching my back. My joints popped as I stretched, and I let out a groan of relief.

I straightened up and flicked my wings a couple times before I put my hat on my head - after folding up my V-fin, of course - before I reopened my V-fin and attached the spurs to my metal ankle guards. My pistols were the last thing to go on my person before I left the room.

The old hotel was a charming place, I had to admit, but something just didn't seem quite right here. Well, not at the hotel, per say, but the whole area so to speak. Actually, more like the cat Mobian I had just met yesterday. Not the female, but the male. Something about him just set me on edge, and I had no idea as to what it was.

Regardless, I needed to start my investigation into the disappearance of Yasha Mousekewitz. The only thing was I had no leads. So I decided to just wing it.

I left the hotel that morning, and I adjusted my optics for the bright sunlight outside. I could already see that people were coming down to the town from the much larger hotel further back, as most of them had either cameras or smartphones. I made sure to stay out of their sight as I wandered down the main street, keeping more towards the buildings so I could duck inside if anyone recognized me.

Thankfully no one did, at least right now. I was on edge though regardless.

"Okay... now where to begin...?" I mused to myself. I scanned around me with my sensors, keeping an optic peeled.

So far nothing was out of the ordinary. Everything was still normal.

Maybe a little _too_ normal.

My optics dimmed a shade as I hummed to myself.

This time I needed to be wary. As I walked, my optics landed on a nearby group of Mobians, clearly cat Mobians if their tails and ears were any indication. They all appeared to be huddled over off to the left of the main street, speaking in whispers as they examined something in the middle of their circle. Now normally I would've dismissed it, as we were in a Wild West resort town, so no doubt they were on vacation or something. But at the same time something was wrong.

My instincts as a Huntsman were kicking in, and it also helped my psychoframe was tingling, to boot. Frowning to myself in my thoughts, I made sure to walk past them, tuning my audios to their highest sensitivity.

And what I heard sent shivers down my back struts.

"...sure the boss got the right ones?" one of them asked.

"Hardly... the last batch was too scrawny. Not enough meat," a big burly cat hissed, his eyes hardening. He poked a finger at something before them. "Maybe the next town over?"

One of the cats blanched. "Oh, hell no! That is out of the question!" he growled. "That place is Denver, you dolt! Home to the Dragon! Haven't you read the news reports?!"

A collective gulp raced through the group and one of them actually whimpered. "Last I heard, the Dragon was supposed to be coming this way. But so far there's been no sign of his metal-plated ass," a shorter cat Mobian whispered. "At least from what I've seen."

"Dunno... but we are not attacking Denver!" the leader(?) snarled. "So pick another target, idiot!"

The big burly cat nodded. "Yes, sir." He moved a bit and pointed again. "How about this one...?"

I was out of earshot by that time, but it was enough to get me furious. Those cats had been planning on attacking my hometown, and for what reason? Clearly it had something to do with food or goods. Maybe animals? Illegal hunting did seem like a possible motive. But then again, given the Grimm around, it made sense to limit the amount of hunting that normal game hunters carried out, mostly out of fear for collateral damage that could draw Grimm to the area. And that was one mandate the United Nations upheld fiercely.

Especially in the remains of warzones.

I had to resist the urge to go after the group. The last thing I wanted to do was reveal myself.

But then again... why were they even considering attacking Denver? It wasn't like there was any real big game out there to hunt.

And that got me thinking.

What if it wasn't game, but something else...?

The implications were not good.

And I needed to find out more about this...hunting trip.

The only question was... how?

In hindsight, now that I look back on it, had I listened in more carefully, then maybe I might've picked up more information than what I had already gleaned. And that may have saved me an extra week in trying to find a clue as to Yasha's whereabouts. But at the time I was more concerned with trying to prevent them from attacking my hometown. And that was a bad decision on my part.

Regardless, I had other things to worry about at the time. Like trying to figure out who was ordering an attack on my hometown.

I finally made it to the end of the town's main street, coming to a stop near the saloon. I sat down on the porch that surrounded it and laced my hands behind my helm as I tilted my head back to look up at the sky.

One of the cats from the group made his way over to the saloon, clearly looking to get a drink. I lowered my helm rather quickly and made sure my arms and legs were covered by my cloak as much as possible. I shifted a bit to keep my wings out of sight and relaxed as much as I could, taking on a casual appearance. Although I did discreetly watch the cat Mobian out of the corner of my optic. Before he entered the saloon though, I cleared my vocalizer. "Y'all looking fer someone?" I asked, trying to cover myself by adopting a western accent. (Actually, it was pretty bad; it sounded more Australian than Western, but... what else could I do?) I prayed the cat was stupid enough to not catch on.

"Ah!" He yelped and his golden gaze landed on me. "Oh, whaddya know, pardner?!" he shot back.

"Just askin'," I drawled. "Seems to me like yer tryin' to hunt some Grimm?"

The cat's eyes widened. Then he guffawed in amusement. "Y'all think we're seriously hunting them Grimm?" he laughed. "Well, not everyone hunts them beasts."

"Then what y'all huntin'?" I asked.

"That's our little surprise," the cat chortled. "But I will say this about the huntin'. It brings good business to the resort! Especially as the delacicies... delicacies are top rate!"

"Hmmm..." I let out a hum as I leaned back a bit, keeping my head hidden. "I see. Well, good luck, pardner!"

The cat nodded and waddled into the saloon to get a drink. As soon as he vanished inside, my optics dimmed a shade. So they were hunting food for the resort, were they? And yet...

Something was still amiss.

And for that matter, who were these guys? These hunters, and not the Hunters that went after Grimm... who were they? Did they even _have_ clearance from the UN to hunt game? Did they have the proper papers, etc? Also, where were they allowed to hunt?

The United Nations, in the wake of its formation after World War II, in response to the huge amount of game being slaughtered by hungry refugees and soldiers alike, issued a global ban on hunting wild animals, mostly because of the risk of possible injury to innocent lives. The ban was one that was upheld with the utmost fierceness, and it took _years_ to even _get_ the necessary permits and permission to hunt. Any people applying to hunt wild game had to be thoroughly examined, both psychologically and physically, go under extensive background checks and be quizzed on proper hunting protocol, which they had to read up on prior to the examinations. Most people never gained the necessary permits, but those that did often were forbidden from hunting game like bears and boars within or even close to city limits. The distance they had to stay from the cities was a whopping one hundred miles. So this severely limited their options for game hunting grounds. The only locations where it was actually permitted were areas like the Russian forests, the Alaskan and Canadian wilderness, with Asian and European countries setting limits on building near forests where people could hunt food.

This whole process was a hassle, but it had cut down on accidental injuries and killings inflicted by game hunters significantly. There were still the occasional injuries, but no deaths had been reported since the ban on hunting globally.

The memory files of that spider Mobian also came back. For that matter, who was that guy? I hadn't even heard of him, least of all seen him in my entire career as a Huntsman up to this point.

My optics brightened back to their usual violet hue as I lifted my head.

And just in time as I felt that twinge in my processor again. I was on my feet in a flash and moving as something splattered against the ground where I had been mere moments ago. I landed on my feet and looked up, my optics landing on that spider as he sneered at me. "Nice reflexes... _not!_ " he jeered at me.

"Who are you?!" I barked, dropping the faux western accent.

"Oh, just someone you'll be running into more often now, _Dragon!_ " he cackled as he scuttled into the building. My optics flashed in shock as I realized what he was up to.

"NO!" I yelled, running in after him.

The patrons of the saloon all looked at me as I came to a stop, realizing that in my haste to capture the bug I had let my cloak get thrown open with my movement. I froze in place, feeling all these eyes on me. I grasped my cloak and threw it around myself, lowering my head to try and hide myself, although I knew it was useless now.

"Well... this is quite a surprise indeed," came that gentlemanly voice. "What do we owe the pleasure of having the Dragon of Denver amongst us?"

I winced to myself in my thoughts as I turned to look at Cat. "None of your business," I growled. "I was actually trying to avoid being spotted this time."

"Oh, come now. Surely you have a reason for being here, do you not?" Cat asked, his eyes locking onto my violet optics. I flared them in response.

"I said none of your business!" I repeated, flexing my wings a bit. "All I'll say is that it's official Huntsman business!"

The cat Mobian rolled his eyes, but relented and let me be.

As he walked, I couldn't help but get that pressure in my processor again, and I glanced at the shadows where I saw that spider Mobian sneering at me; his golden tooth gave away his location with the way it gleamed in the light.

I glared at him as he scuttled away into the darkness. ' _Just who is that guy?_ ' I thought.

I finally forced it from my processor as I made my way through the saloon, ducking past a few people who glared at me and I almost bumped into someone, but I stepped around him and made my way to the secluded corner I had met the Mousekewitz family at.

It turned out that Ruskov and Tanya were both there, eating a few bits of cheese curds and some other food. My optics picked out a nice roast turkey and some delicious looking salad. The Russian violin maker looked at me and waved a hand. "Please, join us," he offered.

I nodded and took a seat beside the two. "Where are Feivel and your wife?" I asked him.

"Oh, that boy wanted to explore the town," Ruskov muttered as he took a bite of salad. "My wife went with to keep an eye on him."

"Hmm." I folded my arms. "Well that's good. But still, something seems wrong here. I just can't quite put a finger on it..."

Tanya seemed to shudder at that moment and I turned to look at her. "Something wrong?" I asked.

The young Russian girl grasped her arms and rubbed them. "Sorry. I thought I felt something for a moment..."

Now that sent off red flags in my processor. "What did it feel like?" I asked.

"I don't know how to describe it other than little fingers..."

* * *

 _His eyes narrowed as he studied the mouse girl._

 _She had clearly felt the presence that lingered here at the old community. Or something more recent. It was hard to say._

 _He made sure that every inch of leftovers was destroyed. Nothing left behind for the authorities to gather and trace back to him. He even had his associate finish them off by their own hand and made it seem accidental. There was nothing that the police or government could use to pin the blame on him. He was too clever for the authorities._

 _It also helped his associate was an ex-spy for the KGB._

 _But right now he had another threat to deal with. A threat clad in metal armor plating._

 _Now how to get him out of the picture..._

 _His mind hummed and different scenarios came to his thoughts. Each one had its merits, but at the same time there were a number of flaws given the locale they were in. So maybe..._

 _Yes._

 _A sneer crossed his face. He had just the idea as to how..._

* * *

I was surprised at her comment. "Fingers?"

Tanya nodded. "Yes. It... it was creepy..." She shuddered again and her father placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Tanya. What you felt must've been something like the wind," he told her gently.

She didn't seem to buy it, but she did smile weakly.

"Hmm..." I hummed to myself as I lowered my gaze to look at the table.

And then I heard it.

A soft giggle.

My head snapped up and I looked around, my sensors instinctively going on high alert. It... Where had that giggle come from?

I tuned my audios to their highest sensitivity, and I tuned out all other sounds, listening for that single giggle.

And I heard it again.

Right beside me this time.

I was out of my seat in a flash, looking around frantically.

And then I saw it.

A face, right in the wall of the saloon. Transparent, with closed eyes, and missing a nose, even. It looked like a mouse Mobian, but much younger. Hair clung to the head, and the face wore only a single binky around its neck. I slowly approached, ignoring the stares around me, and I reached out a shaking hand. What was this? What was going on?

My fingertips were just inches from the face when the eyes suddenly snapped open, exposing nothing but black holes that seemed to such the life right out of me. I yelped and staggered back, falling flat on my aft. I glanced at the wall, but the face was gone.

"The hell...?" I muttered in a raspy voice as I clutched at my chest, trying to calm my racing reactor.

"Oh my... Are you all right?" Ruskov asked as he knelt beside me.

"Y-Yeah. I just had a start. That's all..." I muttered, staggering to my feet. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get some air."

Ruskov was a bit confused, but nodded.

I quickly left the saloon, trying to forget the small face and those sinister black eyes. I was in such a rush to leave that I wasn't watching where I was going and then next thing I knew I was flat on my back, someone else grunting as they landed on their butt. I managed to push myself into a sitting position and my optics flashed in mild surprise at seeing the same dog Mobian from before. He got to his feet and gazed down at me. "Watch where you're going, son," he said, holding out a hand. I took it and he helped me to my feet.

"Sorry," I remarked.

"No harm done," the Mobian replied. He then looked at me critically. "You look like you saw a ghost."

I was surprised. "How'd you catch on?" I asked. "I mean... I'm not even..."

"When you've been a Huntsman for as long as I have, you see many things, boy." The Movian's eyes were hard as he gazed back at the saloon. "And not all of them are Grimm, you know." He then fixed his gaze on my optics. "As for how I knew, it's happened to me once or twice, so I know what to look for."

I nodded. "Right..." I wasn't sure if he was lying or not, but he sure looked like he knew what he was talking about. I decided to take it with a grain of salt.

As for his words of having seen strange things, I remembered my own encounters with the Fallen and Katz. But the weirdest thing thus far had been the Wailing Woman of he Black Puddle Lagoon. She had been both a Fallen and a witch of sorts, which was a bad thing. Well, not really a witch per say, but the equivalent of one with her Semblance.

I shuddered at the memory file of waking up on the surface of the lagoon.

"You got a story, boy?" the dog asked.

I yelped at his words. "Sorry..." I rasped. The dog Mobian frowned. "I just was lost in thought for a moment."

He nodded. "I see. Well, I'll take a guess and say that it has to do with a story. Am I right?"

"Yeah," I replied with a nod of my own. "You'd be right on that one." I shifted a bit as I looked at the sun above us. "I had an encounter with something strange myself. It..." My voice trailed off as I tried to think of what I could use to explain the strangeness of the Wailing Woman.

But nothing came to my processor.

The dog took note of my silence and hummed. "Too strange to say?" he asked.

"Yeah," I answered. "It was way to strange to describe to you accurately."

He took that in stride and leaned back against one of the other buildings. "Sometimss things are too strange to explain. You just have to go with it until you do come up with enough information to explain the phenomenon as much as you can. And even then you may have to take guesses." He chewed on his tongue before he sighed. "I'm speaking from experience here, son, so..."

"Do you mean to say you saw ghosts?" The question was out of my vocalizer before I even realized it.

The dog Mobian narrowed his eyes at me. "Son, there are many things in this world that cannot be explained. Ghosts and spirits are one such example." His shoulders twitched a bit. "Many claim they can speak with the dead, but only those with a Semblance capable of contacting the dead can speak to them. And even then it's not total contact."

He shifted a bit. "I knew a fella who had the ability to see ghosts and hear them, but he couldn't speak to them. That was as close as anyone else got."

I was surprised. Well, then again, given the world we lived in, it wasn't much of a surprise. Given the wide range of Semblances, I wasn't too sure on there being one that could make actual contact with the dead, but then again who knew?

The whole thing was just starting to get to me.

For a moment, I remembered back to the ghostly Mobian.

And the strange thing was...

I was the _only one_ who had seen the face. No one else had.

Was my processor finally starting to go?

Was I starting to malfunction?

If so, would I need it replaced?

The dog Mobian seemed to sense my worry and pat me on the shoulder guard before he stood up and left. I decided to make my way back to the saloon to see what was going on at the moment.

Little did I know I would soon be roped into an event that would lead me to a surprising revelation about the past.

* * *

Inside the saloon everyone was gathering around the tables, with all their gazes locked onto the stage as Cat R. Waul stood next to a stand of some sort covered with a tarp. Beside him stood that female cat Mobian, her greenish eyes glinting as she looked at me and winked.

"Ladies and gentlemen, fine patrons of this saloon and esteemed guests of the Green River Resort! It is my great pleasure to announce the arrival of this year's highly anticipated event!" Cat declared. "An event that will showcase the greatest of skills in the Wild West, an event that is sure to push you to your limits and beyond! An event that harkens back to this town's glory days, and the days of the cowboys! I give you..."

With a flourish, the female cat drew off the tarp on the stand, revealing a poster depicting two cowboys herding horses, the words _Cowboy Tournament_ printed on the top. Down below was a sign up sheet.

"The Cowboy Tournament!" he cried.

"Now, every year, there are numerous events that take place. This year there are three main events. First up..." Cat tapped another chart, this time showing an image of a lasso and badge. "...is the herding challenge. Your goal is to herd up as many horses as you can. You will also be given a badge. Your badge will be your marker of the event. You will tally up the number of horses at the end of the event on the badge and hand it in. The members that have the most horses herded will move on to the next stage. To round up the horses you will be allowed to use whatever means you see fit, but no Semblances are allowed. Same with Aura."

He tapped the next stage, which showed a gunner shooting at a target. "Next up is the target challenge. Your goal is to shoot down as many targets as you can, both moving and stationary. However -" Cat held up a hand. "-there will be no enhancements, Semblances, or technological equipment allowed in this event. You will only have your eyes and gunslinging skills to draw upon. The shooters with the most bullseyes will move on to the third event."

Here he slapped an image of a train with several people around it. "The Train Theft! Your objective in this one is to defend a train against a robbery from some bandits and warlords, although there are Grimm about as well." Here he sneered. "You will be allowed to use whatever means, weapons, or Semblances you have to your advantage. The defender last standing will win the tournament! And with it... the grand prize! A tour of the ruins not too far from here, free of charge! You will be allowed to bring one extra person along if you came in a group. If you fail to win the tournament, however, you will be given a second or third place prize of your choice."

I didn't like the way he was staring at me, and it sent shivers down my back struts.

"So, don't be afraid to sign up! And let me say, it is an honor to be hosting the Cowboy Tournament here! Thank you all!" Cat called as he bowed to applause and cheers.

I wasn't liking this one bit.

I was almost trampled by people scrambling to get to the stage and sign up sheet as they started rushing past me. I yelped and got out of the way by scrambling back, but just barely. Children and adults alike were clamoring to get signed up, and something just told me it was a bad idea to let any kids join in.

I got to my feet just as Feivel scurried past, Ruskov with his hand firmly on his shoulder. "No, Feivel! The answer is no!" he said.

"Aww, Papa! It'll be fun!" Feivel pouted. "I want to participate!"

"For the last time, _no!_ " Ruskov insisted, dragging the boy back. "It's too dangerous! And as it stands, you haven't even unlocked your Aura or Semblance yet!"

The youth groaned, but relented as he walked back to the table. Ruskov turned to look at me. "I must apologize for my son's behavior. He's been getting into all kinds of adventures as of late," he apologized.

"Don't worry," I said. I waved my hand dismissively. "Actually, the fact that children are signing up is a bad sign. Something just isn't right. So..." I looked at the sign up sheet, which was filling up rapidly. "I'm going to get in on this, too."

"Are you sure?" Ruskov asked me, his eyes filling with worry. "It's risky... and you could be found out."

"I already have been," I remarked dryly. "And I'm aware of the risks. But for now, we have to worry about finding your daughter. And as it stands, maybe I can find a lead or two by participating in this thing."

The Russian Mobian pondered my words. "Hmm..." He crossed his arms and tapped a finger against his arm. "Well... you do have a point..." He finally looked up. "Well, if you do participate, be very careful."

"I intend to," I assured him. "Don't worry."

With that said, I hurried through the crowd, brushing people aside as quickly as I could. It helped my frame was rather broad in the shoulders, and my wings also helped in that I was able to at least spread them a bit to further increase the gap between the crowd. I made it to the stage and pushed my way past a bunch of other Hunters, one of them narrowing his eyes at me before I grabbed the pen and signed my name on the second to last line.

I handed it off to the next person in line and left the stage rather quickly to avoid getting trampled to the ground. Once I was away, I flared my wings and rolled my shoulders before refolding them and making my way back to the Mousekewitz family.

The four of them were surprised about what I had just done, but none of them even bothered to question it as I sat back down in another part of the saloon.

After the last person had signed up, Cat walked back out onto the stage and grabbed the sign up sheet.

"And so, here we have it! The roster for this year's Cowboy Tournament!" he declared. "And boy do we have some notable names amongst this year's crop of competitors!"

He held up the list and adjusted his monocle. "Of the most noteworthy is none other than Sylvester Catton, known for his success in stopping two Goliaths during last year's Festival of Lights in India!"

The cat Mobian in question - with white chest, belly, and facial fur and black all over the rest of him, wearing a tank top and shorts with well worn sandals on his feet - stood up and waved to the applauding crowd. I remembered hearing about that event, and it wasn't much of a surprise to me. But what did surprise me was the fact that he took them down with only a shotgun. He sat back down as his black and white tail swished behind him.

"Next up is none other than the Mobian known as Amy!" Cat exclaimed, gesturing to a female hedgehog with pink fur and wearing a red and white dress with red and white sneakers. She stood up and hefted a large hammer on her back, glaring at several other competitors. I remained as calm as I could, although her very gaze was enough to make my wings twitch a bit. I remembered her own debut onto the scene of the Hunters, where she literally used her Dust-enhanced hammer to smash her way through a Geist possessing boulders.

"And now... for our most noteworthy competitor... Joseph Matthews, better known as the Dragon of Denver!" Cat shouted, gesturing in my direction. I remained seated rather than standing as the crowd turned to me. I merely lifted up my cowboy hat and flashed my optics a bit.

"Howdy," I said, trying to make light of the competitive air in the saloon.

Some people were already talking about trying to beat me; I could hear it clearly due to my sensitive audios. But I ignored it. I had other things to focus on.

Cat proceeded to list off a few more names of noteworthy competitors, but their names escaped me for the moment.

By the time he was finished, everyone was pumped for the tournament. As they all filed out, I hung back to wait for the Mousekewitz family.

"Well. You're getting into the Tournament, huh?"

I whipped around to face the speaker, only to see the female cat Mobian standing behind me, her hands on her hips. "Oh, what do you want?" I asked a bit harshly.

"Geez. No need to be snippy," she remarked. "Look. I'm just here to give you some advice."

"What kind of advice?" I asked.

"Be careful. Cat's not one to hold back when it comes to certain things. And also, there's a competitor you have to watch out for. I don't know who he is, but he's a wily one. He's a coyote, and he has blonde hair, plus he wears a mask," the woman said. Her green eyes hardened. "He's a cunning one. I don't know what he's up to, but I don't trust the guy."

"All right," I said. "I'll be careful."

The cat nodded. "The name's Kitty, by the way. Kitty McGonagall." She extended her hand to me and I shook it. "Good luck, kid. You'll need it."

She let go of my hand and began to walk away, but not before she sent me a wink. The same wink that I had seen before. Oh yeah. She did know who I was, but also that I was a tough Hunter. No doubt she was rooting for me.

That gave me some measure of relief, at least.

* * *

... _and so ended my second day in the town. But things were about to get more interesting as the tourney drew closer. The next two days were spent preparing, and gathering more information. But I shall detail those in my next letter._

 _Until I see you again, my dear._

 _Your beloved husband,_

 _Joseph Matthews_

* * *

 **Denver, Colorado**

Tina shifted as she studied the letterhead.

She felt herself blushing at the thought of her companion considering her his wife. But then again, they were close, so...

The Huntress forced those thoughts from her mind as she turned to look back at the information she had gathered.

She picked up a pen and started writing back.

* * *

 _To my dear husband._

 _I must say, you have had some interesting events happen. But nothing can compare to what I am about to disclose to you._

 _It centers around a young girl... one whom might have a connection to the ancient legends we have heard so much about in our youth. Only this time..._

 _The legends are real..._


	25. Arc II - Stage I

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: The Food Witch_

 _Not much is known about this insidious being. Rumors speculate and abound as to her origins, but all agree that the stories start with a being in Russia named Baba Yaga. Her childhood is a total mystery to anyone, and even the FBI has failed to gain any information on her birth. Phil Ken Sebben has called her as the worst villain to ever walk the face of the Earth, and due to the disappearances of many individuals, has been labeled as a "Food Witch", although her elderly age and appearance have had many people calling her Grandma Stuffum from time to time._

 _Her infamous reputation has put her on the list of the League of Super Criminals, as a potential ally or contact. But as to how they are connected, that remains a mystery._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Rumors and legends have been around for as long as humanity has existed. But there are always some that have a grain of truth to them." TOM explained as he closed up the file on the Food Witch. "Some rumors can come from unexpected sources, but sometimes they can come from credited sources. Then the issue is whether or not they are rumor, or fact. And sometimes lies can be just as powerful as the truth, depending on how they are worded."

He glanced out the window of the _Absolution_ to see a white legged ship vanish out of sight in a flash of light. "But what if those rumors are based on real experiences? And what if the legends spawn from a real force that is supposed to be even more dangerous than anything else thus far? That is when it becomes not a legend, but a true story. It all depends on the person or people who tell it."

He pressed the button on the left arm rest of his chair and leaned back in his seat. "So think carefully and start to question the truth and lies. Because sometimes lies can be truth and truth can be lies. It's up to you to make that call."

* * *

 _ **(** The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 _ **(** The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of blue energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show the white-clad warrior known as Omnimon_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight** ( _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Stage I**

* * *

 _To my dear husband._

 _I must say, you have had some interesting events happen. But nothing can compare to what I am about to disclose to you._

 _It centers around a young girl... one whom might have a connection to the ancient legends we have heard so much about in our youth. Only this time..._

 _The legends are real..._

* * *

Tina Hendricks looked back at the information she was pouring over in the office of the home she shared with Joseph 'Dracon' Matthews. In all honesty, she had not been expecting to get roped into uncovering just what was happening in Denver.

It reminded her all too harshly of Jaxon and his attempt to send them to I.O.N.E.S.C.O., the former colleague of Dr. Torenov Minovsky.

The very thought made her skin crawl and she shook her head to forget the images.

But to hear of this... Fire Elemental, was it?... being in the middle of Denver... _that_ was worrisome.

Then again, given what the world was like, it made sense. She just felt glad that Denver was well defended and isolated from the Darklands and Wildlands due to its position in the mountains of Colorado. Her eyes flicked to the newspaper sprawled across the desk, reading the headline.

 _Fire Breaks Out at Denver Central Park_

 _Unknown arsonist or Grimm attack?_

Her eyes narrowed as she skimmed the article. It basically described how a fire had spontaneously broken out in the middle of the park, prompting people to flee to safety while the fire department attempted to contain it. It spread rather quickly, forcing local members of the City Guard to take action and do what they could to help contain the inferno as it grew. The article detailed how the firefighters attempted to rescue a little girl in the middle of it all with her family. They fought their way through the blaze until they reached her, and pulled her out to safety.

They chalked their survival up to mere luck. Although it was strange that the girl had not suffered any smoke inhalation or burns on her young body. Her family was likewise unharmed, but the same couldn't be said for a few others who didn't make it out in time. They too survived, but with several major burns that would need hospitalization and surgery to fully recover from. At least no one was killed, which was a relief, she mused as she set the article aside.

The rest of the article was basically talking about an investigation into the sudden eruption of the fire. So far no one had come forward to confess, or offer information on the fire's origins. But the fact that there were no Grimm present only added to the mystery of the inferno.

And yet Tina was beginning to wonder if there was more to this case than the article let on. She had seen the news footage, and although she wasn't a skilled investigator like some members of the Denver Police Department, she was observant due to her years as a Huntress. Her keen eyes had picked out the girl's hair flaring as if made of flames... Of course it could've been a trick of the fire, but who knew? She was not willing to take any chances though. For all she knew, maybe it was someone else who was the Fire Elemental.

And that prompted her to do as much research as she could on the legends of the Elementals.

The research led to her finding out information about them, and further examination of the news footage seemed to prove her theory correct.

But then there was another aspect.

Sammael.

She knew that the Fallen had plans. Big ones. That much Sebben had informed them of. But as to what... she didn't know. And yet now...

It also didn't help much that the news wasn't reported on by the national news networks. In fact, it seemed as if it had been blocked by someone. Or at least taken off the air. Sure there was mere mention, but no news footage or camera shots of the girl triggering the blaze somehow.

Tina began to wonder if someone was trying to suppress information about this.

If so, she needed to find out who was responsible and why.

The first thing though was she needed to confirm the girl as the Fire Elemental. But the question was how, since she didn't even know the kid's name. But from her facial features she appeared to be Asian, or at least of Asian descent, so that narrowed things down considerably. Tina grasped her tablet and started searching for information about the girl. She did a few searches on Asian Americans in Denver, which brought up a bunch of contact information and even a database pertaining to them, courtesy of the Denver Academy of Hunters. There were just so many though it seemed downright impossible.

But if anything, Tina was persistent.

She had to try and figure out the girl's name. Perhaps cross-referencing pictures could work...

That was the only choice she had at the moment. So she started poking around for any images from the Hunter Academy, but nothing showed up. Gritting her teeth, she punched the desk in frustration. "Dammit! Nothing on her at all!" she snarled.

Her eyes narrowed as she studied the images playing over and over again on her tablet's screen. There seemed to be nothing on the girl. Least of all her picture and name. This warranted a visit to the mayor's office, she mused.

She shut down her tablet and made for the door, intent on trying to get some answers.

The Huntress hurried out the door and got into the car, slamming the door shut and starting the engine. Once she was set, she headed out and down the main roads, relying on the GPS to find the mayor's office.

She pulled into the parking lot some time later and was out in a flash, racing for the doorway. A few people were surprised, and some security guards took note of her, parting to let her pass; registered Huntsmen and Huntresses could avoid going through security measures if they so chose to, but most often went through them as part of the law. In Tina's case, she chose to bypass the security protocols and made her way into the office building.

She had to admit, this was the first time she had done so, but she felt it was warranted in this case. However, she was unaware of what was currently going on above her in the mayor's office...

* * *

The mayor of Denver, a middle aged cat Faunus named Darrel Clyde, frowned as he sat back in his desk chair. Already three of the Elementals had awakened. If that was the case, then the last one would be awakening shortly. And he had a very good idea as to who it was, since she had been showing fire-based powers.

Yes, he knew who it was, but while it was probably for the best the possible Elemental was sent to GrimmFall sooner rather than later, he felt it was necessary to protect said person until the time came. And it helped he had help from the state Governor herself.

Speaking of which, she was on the line already. " _So, has anyone else found out yet?_ "

"No, ma'am," he replied. "That knowledge has, as far as I know, not been leaked."

The Governor's image nodded. " _Good,_ " she replied. " _But I don't doubt that someone will find out anyway._ "

"Do you mean the Fallen?" the mayor asked as the governor nodded again.

" _I do,_ " she replied. " _They are already searching. Keeping a Fallen off the possible Elemental's tail is the main priority._ "

Unbeknownst to the two of them, someone was already listening in, but they had missed the first part of the conversation about the Fallen searching as well. Tina had put her ear to the door when she had heard the mayor speaking to someone, and was shocked at the next words she heard.

"The person we believe is the Fire Elemental should not be found."

The unknown speaker's voice was unheard due to the mayor using headphones to hear his 'guest', but that only worked against him in Tina's mind, even if she didn't know it.

"Yes, I know that others will want their power, but that is not of a concern."

Tina frowned, wondering if what she was hearing was correct. Did the mayor and his cohort truly believe they could keep the Fire Elemental from GrimmFall and others like them?

"No. I don't think so. Even if the Elemental awakens, they will not stand a chance."

A silent gasp escaped her. Was the Mayor really planning something against the Elemental? Or was the mayor planning to _kill_ the Fire Elemental?! Alarm ran through her as she turned and ran from the office. In fact, she ran away so fast, she didn't even hear the next part. "Yes, I am sure the Elemental is safe from Fallen hands. We have done our best to hide them so far, and we plan to continue to, unless you plan to send in the National Guard for backup."

* * *

Tina's mind was racing as she hurried out of the office, all thoughts of questioning the mayor long forgotten.

There _was_ a conspiracy afoot, and it was not good by any means. She had to find the child and fast!

But the question was where to begin. There was just no information on her! Not even a birthdate!

The Huntress was in her car in a flash, and speeding back towards the subdivision where she and Dracon lived.

Only to nearly collide full on with another man as he barely spotted her car. Tina yelped and jerked the car's wheel to the right, careening off the road and into the park, right towards the spot where the fire had broken out recently. Her foot stamped on the brake and she brought the car to a skidding stop, her seat belt being the only thing that saved her from injury. She grunted from the whiplash, but she was otherwise unharmed.

The woman leaned back in her seat, her mind racing with all kinds of thoughts. What the hell was going on? Why was the mayor of Denver even planning such an act?! It just didn't make any sense! She gritted her teeth and slammed her forehead on the steering wheel, feeling frustration and worry surging through her body. "Dammit...! If only I knew where to find her!" she blurted.

But unfortunately nothing was present, and no one heard her.

She was completely on her own for this one.

Tina leaned back and sighed. For now she had to get back home and see if there was anything she could do to dig up any information, which was going to be downright difficult, if not impossible, given that it was being suppressed or censored.

She put the car in reverse and after some driving around, managed to get back on the roadway leading towards her home.

The drive back was rather uneventful, but her eyes said it all: she was angry. And she wasn't about to rest until she got to the bottom of this conspiracy.

By the time she pulled back into the driveway, she had a good idea of what to do next. And that was to start asking around. She knew of a few Asian-American families close by to their home, so she could start there. Tina darted inside the house and brought up the recorded news footage on her tablet, freezing a frame of the girl and printing it up after doing a screenshot. This way she'd have a face to show them.

Once that was done, she sat down and proceeded to have a quick dinner. It wasn't very much, but it did get the job done. She finally stood and exited the house, carrying the image with her.

The first house she stopped at belonged to the Yu family, a Chinese American family that actually moved to the US recently from Taiwan. While they didn't have any children, perhaps they had seen the girl she was seeking. After all, it did seem possible.

Mr. and Mrs. Yu were more than pleased to answer any questions she had about the girl, and she was surprised to hear that they knew of a family with a daughter that resembled the child in the picture she had printed. She thanked them and headed off towards the address given to her by Mrs. Yu.

But when she got there, she was in for a surprise.

A single Seer Grimm was observing, and her eyes widened. "Oh, shit!" she whispered. "A Seer!"

Her rapier was in her hand in a flash as she lunged for the Grimm, the electricity of lightning Dust seething over the blade as she drove it home, and just in time, too. The Grimm dissipated into thick black smoke just as a flash of fiery light came from one of the rooms in the two story house. The Huntress charged through the black smoke and into the building just as someone came through the door, holding a young girl, coughing from the smoke.

"Sorry..." he coughed. "The sausage burnt again..."

A woman came into the room, looking worried, but as soon as her husband told her about the sausage, she relaxed. "Oh... Thank Glob... I was worried..." she breathed.

The two then seemed to get the sense like someone else was present and both turned, their eyes landing on the form of Tina as she stood in the middle of the doorway. "Um... sorry to barge in like this but..." She holstered her rapier. "I wanted to ask you something..."

The family looked at one another before looking back at Tina.

This would not be easy, though, she had to admit. And it wasn't, for whatever questions she asked they always seemed to have an answer that was not what she had been hoping for. And in effect, they were diverting her questions away from their daughter, although she didn't know it at the time. Regardless, when she left, she felt a bit disappointed, but at the same time felt like she had gotten some information about the girl. Mostly in that her Aura was a fiery red color, but her Semblance, they claimed, was unknown to them at this point in time.

So she accepted it for now, but she was taking it with a grain of salt. One could never be truly careful in this world, after all.

By the time she got home, her mind was filled with so many unanswered questions, and all kinds of reasons as to why the mayor wanted the Fire Elemental dead.

Then again, she wished Dracon was there. At least he was able to think somewhat logically.

Most of the time, anyway.

She grabbed a piece of paper and started to write to him, detailing everything she had learned thus far.

* * *

 _So that's what transpired. I must admit, I am wary about this._

 _But nonetheless, I congratulate you on partaking in such a tourney. I wish you the best of luck._

 _And inform me if anything new pertaining to the child's disappearance is found. I shall do the same to you._

 _Best of luck._

 _Your darling wife,_

 _Tina._

* * *

I hummed to myself as I folded up the note from Tina.

Things were only getting more interesting, although I could only hope that the Fire Elemental was all right.. Whoever they were.

After I put the note in my duffle bag, I exited the post office and into the main street. The sun was beating down rather harshly, and my sensors indicated that the temperature was a scorching one hundred and ten degrees, which was nothing compared to the intensely high heat my frame was able to endure. But it was still rather hot for the humans, Faunus, and Mobians around me. And yet some still braved the heat enough to dress in full western getup for the resort.

To be honest, it didn't look very fun.

I continued to walk down the main street, my feet leaving noticeable footprints in the desert sands. My optics flicked about the area, scanning for anything out of the ordinary. Well, maybe a bit more so after that little... ghostly encounter... in the main saloon.

And truthfully, I was curious now.

Mostly curious as to why that little Mobian appeared to _me_ , and no one else.

I needed to get some answers.

As the Tournament didn't start for another two days, this gave me some time to not only practice my skills at horse riding - which I didn't need to as I had ridden a Boarbatusk before - but also my pistol shooting. But I also decided to do some poking around at the saloon, no doubt to try and find any information pertaining to the little Mobian ghost.

I headed there first.

The saloon was pretty much empty as it was early in the morning, which gave me some time to start poking around. The first thing I did was make my way to the spot where I had first seen the little specter. I studied the wall intently, trying to see if there was anything that could point to it being a hoax - a small part of me was wishing it was fake - but upon closer examination, there was nothing that indicated the presence of a holographic projector. Least of all a screen that could accept the projection.

I was baffled.

"The hell...?" I whispered. "There's nothing here..."

I stepped back from the wall, as if expecting the ghost to appear again. But thankfully it didn't. Instead, I got a twinge, and a very powerful one, at that. My hand flew to my helm as I yelped a bit, clutching at it before the feeling faded. I looked up, my optics landing on what appeared to be little footprints...

Like those of a child.

I was on guard at once. My hand flew for one of my beam pistols and the other one clenched into a fist as I prepared to swing a beam tonfa forward. I crept forward, every inch of my six foot two height poised for battle or flight. The footprints seemed to creep towards the door leading into the kitchen, and I dimmed my optics a shade. My reactor increased its humming in my chest as I inched closer to the door.

Faint humming started to drift out from it and I paused briefly just outside it. My reactor was now whirring rapidly enough to where I felt my chest armor vibrating from it. My hand was inches from the door, and I felt that lump-like sensation in my throat before I gulped nervously. I took in a breath and let it out from my vents as I tensed.

My hand landed on the door and I threw it open, leaping into the room and landing in a crouched position, my beam pistol held in both hands. I didn't know why I did it, but as soon as I landed I yelled out "Freeze!" I chalked it up to getting caught up in the heat of the moment, but it did do the trick as the woman in the kitchen turned, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Oh, my!" she cried. "I did not expect zomeone to come into my kitchen seeking somezing to eat!"

The cook was an elderly lady in her mid-to-late seventies, wearing a pair of glasses over her beady green eyes. Her long grey hair was tied back in a bun and she wore a simple blue smock with red buttons on it, and on her feet were stockings with a pair of slippers on top. She wore an apron around her waist splattered with all kinds of food. Some of it was eerily red like blood, but I chalked it up to ketchup at the time.

I found myself feeling rather embarrassed at having interrupted a cook in the middle of her meal preparations, and I stood up, holstering my pistol on my skirt armor. "Sorry," I muttered. "I'm not that hungry."

"Vell zat's all right, dearie," she said. "Most people usually aren't. But it is quite odd you came as quickly as you did."

"I..." I hesitated, unsure as to what to say. I was getting bad vibes from her, as my psychoframe began to tingle. I gulped nervously. "Well..." I shot a glance back down at the ground, and was surprised to see that the small footprints were leading right to her... before they suddenly stopped. A bad feeling began to fill the spot where my stomach would be if I had one. I took in a breath before letting it out through my vents. "I thought there was a Grimm around since I saw something come this way," I told her, coming up with a lie on the spot. I could hear my reactor whirring loudly in my audios and I had to make sure I wasn't even shaking, or as best as I could at the moment.

"I see. Vell, dearie, zere are no Grimm here. Just me and ze food," the elderly cook replied in a thick German accent.

"Yeah. Sorry about that," I replied, quickly backing out of the kitchen. I wasn't too keen on sticking around any longer than necessary, and I was out in a flash, closing the door behind me.

Once I was out of the room, I let out a sigh of relief. Although I was still getting the feeling like something was amiss in that kitchen. I was tempted to take a peek inside, but caution prevailed and I was out of the saloon.

I made my way back to the main street and I plopped down on the porch of another building, looking down at one of my hands. I watched as the fingers shook slightly, confusion flooding my processor. What the hell was going on with me? Why was I getting these strange visions and sightings that no one but me could see?

And why was I getting a bad feeling around the cook?

Especially the cook.

I sighed as I clenched my hand into a fist. "Dammit... so much for trying to find anything else out..."

Of course, things were only bound to get more dangerous the longer I stayed there. I just had no idea how dangerous they were going to get.

* * *

The next day was just like the first, with me preparing for the Cowboy Tournament. At least that's what most everyone else thought. In reality, I was digging around for information pertaining to the strange Mobian ghost I had seen. As well as the... hunting... activities of the town's cat Mobian population. It just so happened that around the time I was exploring one of the other buildings a young Mobian mouse, not much older than two, went missing. I didn't know what to think of this, so I did some hunting around, and came upon that spider Mobian cackling as he dragged the poor child to whatever fate he had planned.

And I was not about to let that go.

I was on the Mobian in a flash, pinning the creep to the ground as his legs writhed and wriggled, delivering a flurry of kicks to my frame's chest and shoulders. I just took it in stride though and finally succeeded in tying him up with his own web. At least for a while. That gave me time to take the boy back to his parents, and they were overjoyed. That led me to another startling revelation.

Apparently when people came with their infants and/or young ones, sometimes they up and vanished, usually taken by Grimm and consumed, or left to die in the harsh desert sands. Their remains were never found, save for a few lucky families. These disappearances were some of the desert's greatest unsolved mysteries. As no one had been able to solve them, even to this day.

That made me even more determined to track down Yasha.

So I doubled down my searching, but alas, nothing came of it. At least for the moment.

The evening came and went, and by the next morning I was ready for the tournament's first stage.

I joined the other competitors by the stables, at which we would be given a horse to ride. Of course, given my frame though, I figured I'd go without a horse, as metal weighed significantly more than flesh and bones.

As I stood waiting, a rather cultured voice reached out to me from behind. "Excuse me, but are you in line for the horses?"

I yelped and whirled around, my optics landing on a white masked figure. I could see he was powerfully built, well muscled and lean. He wore a white jacket with black on the sleeves and shoulders, with a black collar. White pants and black boots completed the ensemble, but it was the blonde hair on his head that caught my optic. He was a coyote Mobian, and his tail swished behind him as he leaned against one of the pillars of the stable.

"No. I'm not. I'm just waiting for the others to get ready before we begin," I said seriously, Kitty's warning resonating in my processor. Normally I didn't trust someone I just met, but Kitty seemed like a nice person, so I was willing to give her a chance.

"I see. Well, I hope you don't mind if I join you then," the coyote said with a smile.

"Not at all," I remarked, trying to keep it casual. "Name's Joseph Matthews. And you?"

"The Dragon of Denver. It's actually quite an honor to meet someone of your reputation," the Mobian mused with a chuckle. "I'm just a mere Hunter. Not someone of your skill and power."

"Hardly. I'm just trying to make the world a better place," I retorted. "And it's not as easy as it sounds, given the number of bad guys and Grimm roaming around the planet."

"As it always has been," the Mobian remarked as he held out a hand. "The name's Coyote. Wile E. Coyote. Genius extraordinaire."

I took his hand and shook it, at once noting the strong and firm grip, much like my own. He let go shortly after though and resumed gazing at the horses as he waited in line.

My name was called up, and I made my way over to the woman in charge of assigning the horses. "Well, as it stands you're going to be the only one without a horse," she said. "Given your frame's weight, it's been decided to temporarily waive the rules of the Green River Resort to allow you to ride something more suited for your weight."

She turned and gestured for me to follow. I followed her as she led me past the horses to an area which was usually rented out to guests who wanted to go riding on all terrain vehicles, otherwise known as ATVs. I was surprised as she opened the gate and guided me in until we came to a stop, right in front of not an ATV, but a motorcycle. This one was a dark blue color, which matched my armor, and it had white accents on its sides and front. I looked at her like she was nuts.

"This is the only thing that will be able to support your weight," she told me. "Either you take it... or you're out of the tournament."

I grumbled as I relented. "Fine."

The woman nodded and handed me off the keys to the bike.

It wasn't that hard to grasp the concept of riding it, nor did it take long for me to get the hang of it; back in high school I sometimes rode Hunter's motorcycle for the fun of it, so the experience stayed with me.

Within moments I was riding out of the rental vehicle lot and back towards the stables. I wasn't too surprised to see the others already on their mounts, and to be honest, it felt a little bit like a post-apoc scenario, with one of us riding a bike and the rest on horses. I was a bit baffled as to why the horses weren't spooked, but then I concluded that maybe they had been exposed to motorcycles and other vehicles before. So I just pulled up alongside the rest of the group as they stood at the starting line.

A huge herd of wild horses was already in motion, although I suspected that they had been purposely released from a corral of some kind just for this occasion.

Cat stepped up in front of us and held up his pistol. "So, are you cowboys and cowgirls ready to start?"

Everyone present let out cheers as they waved their hands or ropes or whatever they had.

I however remained silent. But I did rev the bike's engine a few times in response.

"Then get ready... and may the best cowboy or cowgirl win!" he cried.

He pulled the trigger and everyone was soon in motion. I revved the motorcycle's engine and popped a perfect wheelie as I sped out, the front wheel landing on the ground a few seconds later. I hunched over the bike's dashboard, my hat barely held in place (only by my V-fin being opened against it) against the wind. My cloak flapped and fluttered about my frame as I dimmed my optics a shade. A whinny caught my attention and I turned my helm to spot Wile riding a maroon and white spattered horse. His features turned upward in a grin as his mask's eyes glinted in the light. With a salute, he reared his horse back and launched into a full gallop.

I noticed Sylvester narrowing his eyes as he watched the coyote Mobian go on ahead. Amy on the other hand was neck and neck with him. I dimmed my optics a bit more.

Something told me things were only about to get a lot more interesting than I thought.

* * *

 _"All of the competitorssss are in motion," the voice sneered. "Do you want me to do it now?"_

 _"No," he purred. "Let's see how well he can do in this event."_

 _"I sssstill think it'sssss a bad idea..." the snake-like speaker growled._

 _"Rest assured, he will be taken care of," the cultured voice muttered. "Especially since Wile is involved."_

 _"I do not trussssst that Mobian assss far assss I can throw him!" the snake-like voice hissed, so softly it seemed to be one hiss._

 _"Neither do I..." he growled. "But... he will prove useful... in slaying the mythical dragon."_

 _A pair of snakelike eyes narrowed. "And if he livessss?"_

 _"Then you will get your chance," the cultured speaker remarked. "But for now, just sit back and enjoy the show..."_


	26. Arc II - Stage I - Part II

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Sylvester Catton_

 _Sylvester Catton is a well-known Huntsman from Spain, who has made his reputation in defeating a pair of Goliath Grimm at the Indian Festival of Lights three years ago._

 _Born in Madrid, Spain, his family moved to America when he was just four years old, deciding it was best to find a new place that was not as filled with Grimm. (While the Darklands provide an uncertainty in terms of the Grimm, for the most part America is safe, as Denver, GrimmFall, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Empire City can attest to. In fact, out of all the countries in the world, America has the highest number of safe cities, although Australia is a second contender with Japan following closely behind.) The Catton family moved into the city of Seattle, Washington, where they established themselves as fish mongers, catching fish within the Puget Sound and selling it at the local fish market._

 _Sylvester was not too keen on this line of work, so he went his own way from his brothers when he came of age, electing to become a Huntsman instead. While his Semblance, Mudspit, is more suited for catching live game, he has put it to good use in catching and exterminating Grimm. His most notable achievement is the killing of two Goliath Grimm as they attacked the Festival of Lights ceremony in India. The devastation left the majority of the community in ruins, but the people were grateful to the cat Mobian for killing the two beasts._

 _There are also rumors that Sylvester is able to see and converse with the spirits of the deceased, but no one has been able to confirm that. How he got this ability is filled with speculation, but only recently did the truth come out. He acquired it through a confrontation with the Fallen known as Granny, alongside his teammates, Tweety Bird, and Porky Pigston. Tweety and Porky both kept her at bay while Sylvester attempted to halt the Grimm she had summoned. However, the Geist possessed Sylvester, leading him to forcefully shocking himself to remove it from his body. The encounter scarred him mentally, and left him with a very unusual gift that he has worked to control and at times suppress._

 _His only quirk is his accent, which, while Spanish in origin, has been tainted by his notable lisp. For the most part though, he is a dedicated and driven Hunter, proving his skill time and time again to those who doubt him solely because of the lisp._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Misconceptions happen in every country, city, state, town, etc. Some people tend to lump groups of other people together, including those who do not share ideology, goals, or even physical looks. Lies can be spread, and therefore divisions can happen," TOM explained as he closed down the Sylvester Catton files. "Like for instance, are all black men criminals? Or are they just trying to make a living? Is that object in his hand a weapon? Or is it merely a camera or cell phone? People who tend to take advantage of these divisions continue to spread the misconceptions and lies. But then there are those who try to defy them, and those who stand up for the truth. The only trouble is... how can they prove it true?" He tented his fingers and pressed a button on the left armrest of his chair. "So start to ask questions. And maybe you may just find the truth beneath the lies."

* * *

 _ **(** The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 _ **(** The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of blue energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show the white-clad warrior known as Omnimon_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight** ( _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Stage I - Part II**

* * *

I noticed Sylvester narrowing his eyes as he watched the coyote Mobian go on ahead. Amy on the other hand was neck and neck with him. I dimmed my optics a bit more.

Something told me things were only about to get a more interesting than I thought.

Amy's horse whinnied as she reared her back and then charged into a full on gallop, much like Wile's horse. Sylvester on the other hand was as calm as a cucumber as he narrowed his eyes a bit more.

"Dammit...!" he muttered. "That guy'th not gonna get away thith time!"

"Why do you say that?" I asked as I brought my bike alongside his horse.

The black and white cat Mobian looked around briefly before looking in my direction. "Oh! It'th you!" he blurted. "The Dragon of Denver, right?"

I nodded. "Yes. But I'm curious. Why are you chasing down Wile?" I asked, pressing him for information.

Sylvester's eyes narrowed into slits as he gazed back at the rest of the riders as they surged past us. "That coyote'th making a bad name for uth Mobians!" he growled, his lisp tainting his words. "I'd give anything to give that guy a licking!"

I hummed to myself. "I see. Well... if we're competing against him, why not join forces?" I offered.

Sylvester looked at me like I was nuts. "You mean an allianth?" he asked in shock. "That'th against the tournament rulesth!"

"Not necessarily," I remarked. "We only have to do this for the herding challenge. If you don't want to, then that's fine. Although I am curious as to _why_ you're hunting Wile. Something about him that set you off?"

The cat Mobian hissed as he drew closer to his horse's back. "Yesth... and in more ways than one!" His teeth gritted themselves as he paused, considering his next words. "I know thith may sound crazy, but... I suspect that Wile ith not a normal Mobian."

His eyes glinted dangerously. "I think... he works... for that Thammael guy... as a Fallen!"

My optics flashed in surprise. "Wait. What?! You gotta be kidding me!" I blurted.

But the cat Mobian shook his head. "I wish I wasth, Dracon," he remarked. "But there is evidence to prove my theory."

"How can you be so sure about that?" I asked, dimming my optics a shade.

The cat didn't answer. Instead, he glanced at me. "Dracon. Stay out of thith. I'll handle him."

"Why?!" I blurted. "I've been-" But he wasn't hearing of it and he galloped on ahead of me, leaving me and a few other competitors in the dust.

I growled to myself as I gunned the engine on the bike. I crouched down low as I sped up, the roar of the motor resonating in my audios. While I _could_ fly, I wasn't about to risk breaking the rules. Not since I was getting a feeling like something in this whole tournament connected to Yasha's disappearance.

Anyway, I shook the bad feeling from my processor and continued to drive, following the horses of both the competitors and the herd. I had to admit, it was kind of interesting seeing both adult and children Faunus, Mobians, and humans trying to round them up. A few seemed to have good skills with the rope, and some just tended to rely on their own experience. I on the other hand had zero experience. But that didn't mean I wasn't about to try.

I gunned the motorcycle and sped down the dusty terrain, cutting off one of the horses and corralling it back towards the main group. The effort wasn't as hard as I had anticipated, (probably because of the bike I figured) but it was still going to be difficult to round up a bunch of them, especially as the bike had a limited fuel supply. Still, the entire morning was spent herding and chasing the horses back towards the stables. I took the time to also count up the horses I had helped herd, and the number was fairly high, but some from what I could hear had even higher numbers than me. So that meant I needed to step up my game.

But the only question was, how?

I was forbidden from flying, and there was no way that Amy was going to team up with anyone, as she was going to town in chasing the horses back towards the stables. I guessed it had to be because of her attitude, but who knew? Anyway, the only other option was either Sylvester or Wile, and from the looks of things, Sylvester seemed to have a dislike for the coyote Mobian, and actually, so did I.

So I approached Sylvester when we took a bit of a break to allow the mounts and horses to get some rest.

"Sylvester?"

The black and white cat Mobian shot me a glare. "What?" he asked. "Can't you see I'm trying to drink?" He held up a canteen of water.

"Whoa, calm down," I said, holding up my hands. "I'm just here to talk."

"About what?" Sylvester groused. "If it'sth an allianceth, count me out."

"Sylvester, look. As it stands, we both are getting bad feelings about Wile, right? Well, he's gotten ahead of us tremendously. And if we fail, we can't move on to the next round," I explained hastily. "And we can't catch up to him alone. So... we'll need to work together if we're to catch up to him in the number of horses we've herded."

The cat rolled his eyes, but he did nod. "You do have a point there," he remarked. "But... it'sth againsth the rulesth to be in an allianceth."

"Maybe... but at this stage of the game we've got no choice," I told him.

Sylvester narrowed his eyes as he skimmed my features for any sign of deceit, which regretfully didn't allow for any physical expressions in this case. But his gaze did land on my back, and my wings twitched a little. He finally sighed, capping his canteen. "As much asth I hate to admit it, you're right. We've got no choiceth." He locked his gaze onto my violet optics. "Just promiseth me that you won't fall for Wile's liesth."

"As if I would," I said, holding out a hand.

The cat Mobian took it in his paw and we shook on it.

With that settled, we proceeded to gather up our supplies and headed out. Of course, Amy was far ahead of us in terms of distance, and I let out a low hum as I watched her. She seemed to be up to something. But the way she was neck and neck with Wile indicated that she wasn't a team player with him. In fact, if the expression on her face was anything to go by, she apparently wanted to beat him to the grand prize.

Whatever it was.

We managed to catch up to them and I turned my gaze towards the others.

Now we could see that the herd was getting smaller and smaller as the groups of horses were led towards the stables via differing routes. No doubt to make it easier to round them up. But then again, who knew? Of course, there was also bound to be a few twists and turns in the Cowboy Tournament. Each year the hosting facility or corporation or whatever was allowed to add twists and turns as the tournament's stages progressed, and I suspected that this year there would be something like that. The twists were often known as Roundups, so you had to be wary and on high alert for anything.

I had no idea that we were about to be roped into a Roundup unlike any other.

As me and Sylvester continued our herding and rounding up of the horses, it soon became clear that we were catching up to the others. But there was still a ways to go before we even surpassed them. The only option at this point was to continue well into the night, and as it stood I didn't want to be out in the Wildlands with raiders and whatnot lurking around.

The hours passed as we drew closer to the end of the second day.

And that was when the Roundup Twist began.

The last thing I expected was to hear a loud whinny. I jerked my head up and whipped my gaze to the right to see a large cluster of horses being mowed down, not by gunfire, but by bows and arrows. My optics flashed in surprise as I saw some distinct shapes approaching. They looked nothing like us, and they seemed to be clad in loincloths and tattered remnants of clothing. I realized at once that we were dealing with bandits and raiders, two of the scourges of the Wildlands.

"Thufferin' Thuccathoth! Them again!" Sylvester growled.

"You faced them once before?" I asked as I drew a beam pistol.

"More than once!" the cat hissed. "I faced them twiceth!"

"Damn!" I muttered. I aimed my pistol and fired as Sylvester aimed his shotgun and pulled the trigger. Both our projectiles - one beam and one solid - struck a raider as he fell off his horse and the rest of the competitors began to draw their own weapons or use their Semblances.

I saw Amy's hammer flash as she swung it, smashing a raider's horse in two and her Aura flared bright pink as she took an arrow to it. She gritted her teeth and she _shrieked_ as she leapt off her horse as it fell due to arrows peppering its hide. Her eyes flashed as she blocked another raider's spear and her fist lashed out with enough force to shatter bone. Her Semblance, Gravity Punch, was nothing to laugh at. And frankly, that ability was what made her such a threat, as it also allowed her to lift that huge hammer with little to no trouble. Hell, even I'd have issues with that thing!

Anyway, Amy's eyes narrowed as she swung her hammer again, this time slamming it into the ground and causing a small tremor in the area. I was barely able to stay on the bike, but I managed to as I aimed my beam pistol and fired again.

My shot missed, but it did cause the raider I had fired at to retreat. I was now beginning to get a bit worried. Had we wandered into a raider camp?

"Dracon! Look out!"

The next thing I knew, I heard a loud roar as Sylvester lunged off his horse and brought his shotgun to bear on the incoming raider and fired at point blank range. The Mobian landed and spun around, his claws coming out as he gashed the man across his bulbous nose to follow up the grisly injury to his gut. He retreated and spun his gun before blowing on it. "You okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. Thanks."

I was surprised, really, but I brushed it from my mind. The whole fight was starting to heat up as more raiders came out of the woodwork, figuratively speaking. I tensed as I brought the bike around, my optics dimming a shade as I aimed my pistol and fired again. One of the raiders I struck recoiled and a bunch of arrows came my way. But I reacted by gunning the engine on the bike and swerved to the left, just barely missing getting peppered with them; not that it mattered, really, as my frame was built to take a pounding.

Regardless, I wasn't about to let others die on my watch. I crouched and slipped my beam pistol back onto my side skirt armor before I gripped the handlebars in my hands. I dimmed my optics a bit more as I watched the largest group of competitors struggling to hold the horde of raiders back. I drew closer and I hunched down low as if I were about to spring off and take flight. But that was not the plan. Oh, no. Not this time.

I swung my beam burst gun forward instead. It rested right above my hand as I drove closer and closer to a large slope that looked like it was perfect for me to get airborne. I pushed that bike to full throttle, my cloak whipping around my frame and my hat actually flying off my helm as I felt the bike leave the ground. I was airborne, and I had only seconds before my bike landed on the ground again. So I took my right hand off the handlebars and aimed my beam burst gun at the horde of raiders and let loose with a single charged shot.

The shot split into six smaller shots, striking the closest raiders and killing three with one hit. I revved the bike's engine as I finally swung my gun back into storage and this time, I did leap off. My wings flexed out from under my cloak as I grasped both beam pistols and kicked on my flight pack.

The motorcycle landed on the ground and collapsed as I jetted overhead, letting loose with both beam pistols. My shots weren't as accurate as they were with my fin funnels, but I was able to score some hits on the raiders. The entire group by now was starting to retreat, both from my attacks and the collaborative effort by the rest of the competitors.

And boy, was I glad for that.

* * *

We finally called it quits due to the rest of the horses being slaughtered by the raiders.

So all of us checked off what numbers we had and inscribed them on the badges we had been given for the event.

My badge had at least seventy tally marks on it, and Sylvester's bore at least fifty. So for us, it was a combined total of 120 horses herded. The rest... had not succeeded as much as we had. So in all honesty, the decision to form an alliance with Sylvester earned me and him a chance to move onto the next round, which was target shooting.

We arrived back in the resort town the next morning, each of us either battered or exhausted from our combined exertions in trying to round up the horses _and_ keep the raiders back. I was lucky in that I didn't sweat or get injured anymore, but I couldn't say the same for the rest of the group, including Wile E. Coyote.

And yet...

He seemed to be taking it all in stride. Something about that Mobian just made my systems crawl and I shuddered.

We handed in the badges that morning, and Cat was impressed with the efforts of me and Sylvester. So he told us that we would both move on to the Target Stage. Then he dismissed us, and rather quickly, I might add. He said it was because of the fact that other competitors needed to hand in their badges, too, but I suspected something else when I saw that cook come back into the room with a dish covered with a silver lid.

And then there were the footprints.

Right there beside her.

Sylvester and I beat it out of the room before Cat could even tell us a second time.

The cat Mobian looked at me as I shot a glance back at the door. "Thomething wrong?"

"Yeah..." I muttered. "Something _is_ wrong. But I can't quite put a finger on it..."

"Mind telling me what it ith?" the cat asked. "Becauthe I thaw you eyeing the floor bethide her."

I turned to look at him. "You saw that?"

He nodded as he folded his arms, leaning back against the wall of the office. "Yeth. Tho thpill."

I wasn't sure if I should trust him, but he did seem like a nice guy. So I decided to take a chance. After all, he didn't like Wile either, and that cook he seemed to not like very much either.

"Okay. Well... I guess you could say I've been... seeing things... ever since I arrived here," I admitted. "And the weird thing is... no one else can see what I see."

The cat narrowed his eyes. "Tho? That'th nothing new in my book. I thee thingth all the time." Then he looked at the floor beside my feet. "Like thothe footprintsth."

My optics flashed in shock. "What?!" I looked down, and sure enough, there were small little footprints... leading back into the room where Cat was eating.

"I've been theeing them too. So don't think you're the only one, Dracon," Sylvester shot back. "Unlessth you doubt my claim."

"How can you see these things?" I asked, gesturing to the floor. "I mean... only I can and I'm not sure how I can!"

"Justh call it an unfortunate event that led to me theeing thingth," the Mobian said as he unfolded his arms. "And I am not willing to repeat thaid event."

I wondered what event he was talking about, but I let it slide as I looked him in the eyes. "So you can see them too. That's some good news, I guess..."

Sylvester nodded grimly (no pun intended... again...) as he turned to look back at the door. "Tho... want to investigate, or let it slide?" he asked as he gestured for me to follow.

I was kind of surprised, but I wasn't about to pass up this chance.

We both crept closer to the door and pressed our ears and audios to it.

"... _sure it's vise wiz ze Dragon here?_ " the cook asked.

" _Yes. After all, no one else is aware of our little delicacies' true origins,_ " Cat sneered as I heard him take a bite of something.

" _All right. But I still do not trust zat he vill remain out of zings for long,_ " the cook muttered. " _Especially given ze recent developments..._ "

" _Ah, foo. He's not able to even find or hit his targets. He's not that skilled with them,_ " Cat snorted.

Sylvester looked at me in mild shock as I met his gaze. Were they referring to my psychoframe and its abilities? And if so, how did they even know of it? As it stood, only me, my friends, and the Vist Foundation knew of it! Unless someone else was aware as well...

" _Those beam pistols of his are not that powerful, and his aim is atrocious,_ " Cat explained. " _And as it stands, he's only mortal. His body may be a machine, but he's still mortal like the rest of us._ "

" _If you say so, Cat..._ " the cook grumbled as she wheeled something away.

Cat resumed his eating, and then he perked up, and for the briefest of moments, I feared we had been discovered. My reactor was now racing loudly in my audios as my frame tensed for possible combat.

Then I heard it.

" _...hewp..._ "

It wasn't like a giggle. No. It sounded young... like a toddler's voice. And male.

And it came from inside the room.

Even Sylvester was in shock. His gasp was nearly heard if he didn't clamp a hand over his mouth in the nick of time.

And then we both saw it.

A small shape, like that of a child, hovering just outside the doorway.

I was stunned. Technically, not really, but still...

The ghostly shape was clearly a Mobian, a mouse Mobian at that. It appeared to be a little boy, but that was all I could see. It was too blurry otherwise. I tried to adjust my optics to see it clearly, but there was no way to enhance the image. The misty shape was just unable to be clearly seen.

"Uh... Hello?" I tried.

The shape turned to face us. The face was just a blurry mass, but I swore that there were two eyes looking at us, if the smudges of grey could be classified as such in any way. A shadowy hand reached out to greet us and then waved, as if saying "follow me." I was wary, but something told me to heed this child's advice. I guessed the faint niggling as coming from my psychoframe, which was actually kind of plausible, as there was little known about it. (Especially since I was the only Gundam equipped with such a thing.)

Regardless, I decided to heed the child's advice and started to walk.

Sylvester's eyes widened as his hand flew out to grab my arm. "Wait! What'sth the big idea?" he asked.

"Look. I'm not sure why, but something's telling me to follow this kid's ghost," I said seriously. "If you don't like it, then you can stay behind."

"No way! I'm coming with!" the cat hissed. "I'm not letting thomeone elthe get caught by thothe freaksth!"

I hazarded a guess that he probably meant the cook and Cat, but I wasn't sure. In fact, I wasn't too sure on anything at this point. Mostly because of what was happening here. Ghosts that only me and Sylvester could see? Hunting that was illegal and a cook who gave off a bad vibe. Not to mention Wile, and the strange remark about the delicacies here.

It seemed to me like there was something else going on here at this resort. And it was not good at all.

I was now getting a bad feeling in my gut. And it was not because of my psychoframe.

"Okay. Then let's go."

We both faced the direction the ghost had gone and walked.

* * *

To say that the kitchen was deserted was an understatement.

It was downright _empty_.

There wasn't a sign of any other cooking staff, let alone a waiter or something. It was just an empty room filled with pots and pans and all kinds of food. Like it had never even been used.

The feeling of dread I was getting from this place was almost tangible. I swore that I could even taste it in the back of my throat it was so potent. My very frame was tense and my wings twitched like crazy. Something was indeed wrong with this place.

Sylvester was also getting the same feeling, or at least I guessed so. "You sensthing that?" he asked, confirming my theory.

I nodded. "Yeah. It's potent... way too potent for my tastes," I muttered.

The ghostly child was nowhere to be found though. And yet all around us I could sense that dread.

I started to take a step and then I felt it.

A sharp pain that cut right through my processor. I cried out and grasped at my helm as my psychoframe pulsed beneath my armor. The glowing segments began to shine, and I heard the voices.

The voices of the deceased.

" _...no...! Stop!_ "

" _Pwease... I want my mommy!_ "

" _Mama! Mama!_ "

" _Daddy! Hewp me!_ "

" _Whaaa! Whaaa! Whaaa!_ "

" _AAAAAH!_ "

And so on.

Not only could I hear them, but it was like I was seeing things. My optics flashed as static overcame my vision briefly and then I collapsed, my head and processor pounding like a drumbeat inside my helm.

I could see images... visions of something silver flashing, a big hand pulling something glistening from a shape, a writhing mass as red spurted everywhere... and it only got worse. The visions changed to something less gory, but no less creepy: something cooking in an oven as a soft, sweet laugh echoed. A pair of hands dusting flower onto an object covered in soy sauce. And a small child whimpering in the corner.

Then just as quickly as it came, it disappeared.

My vision returned to normal and I found myself lying on the floor of the kitchen, Sylvester kneeling beside me, concern etched on his face, although his eyes looked like they were haggard from something. "What... What happened?" I asked him.

"That'sth what I want to know," the cat said as he helped me sit up. "What wasth that?"

I shook my head. "I dunno... but something sinister happened here. And it concerns that ghost," I muttered darkly. "This place is _permeating_ with the deceased."

Sylvester nodded. "Yesth. Even I saw that."

"Did you... see the... the visions?" I asked hesitantly.

"Visionsth?" Sylvester cocked an eyebrow. "You mean like... the future?"

I shook my helm. "No. Something more... sinister." I quickly described what I had seen, and he actually paled beneath his black fur.

"Oh... Glob...!" he breathed. "That'sth... what happened here?"

I shrugged. "No idea. But whatever happened here... it's left a sinister feeling here. And a lot of death filled this room."

The cat nodded as I got to my feet. "I think we'd better leave. That cook could come by at any time," he said.

"Right," I said.

The two of us beat it out of that deceased-ridden kitchen in a flash.

But all the while, those voices still lingered in my processor.

We arrived back at the hotel where I was staying a few hours later, and boy was it a relief. But the saloon... that place was riddled with death. I turned my optics to it and took in its deceiving appearance.

It looked like a nice old Western style building, with its wooden exterior and carefully polished porch and doors. It appeared a bit weathered from the sand, wind, and sun, but it was still a place to enjoy... if you forgot about the ghosts. The colors were faded, and the sign with the name on it creaked in the faint breeze. The doors and windows seemed to resemble eyes and a mouth now that I thought about it. Eyes and a mouth... just like a skull.

For a brief instant, I had a flash of just that staring back at me: a skull. I recoiled and shook my helm to dispel the image from my processor.

"This place is riddled with ghosts..." I muttered.

Sylvester was serious as he stood beside me on the porch of the hotel. "Yesth... And all of them want something."

I looked back at him. "Oh? What?"

The cat's brown eyes hardened into bronze. "Justiceth... revenge... and vengeanceth..." he muttered grimly.

I shuddered at his words and gulped. "Right..."

As I turned to head back into the hotel to try and clear my processor, I began to get a feeling like things were about to get worse in the next event of the tournament.

* * *

 **Name: Sylvester Catton**

 **Aura: Black and white**

 **Semblance: Mudspit**

 **Description: Can fire mud from his mouth to trap enemies**

 **Weapon: a shotgun that fires Dust shells**

* * *

 **Name: Amy Rose**

 **Aura: Pink**

 **Semblance: Gravity Punch**

 **Description: Can enhance her punches with gravity to deal massive damage; can also be used to boost her hammer's impact, as well as make it light enough for her to carry**

 **Weapon: Graviton Hammer**

 **Description: A hammer infused with earth Dust to boost its durability.**


	27. Arc II - Interlude Stage

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Amy Rose_

 _Amy Rose is a female hedgehog Mobian with pink fur, and she is friends with Sonic and his other companions. She has also been shown to display unhealthy stalking of the poor hedgehog, and as such some have urged Sonic to put out a restraining order on her for his own good. Amy has made attempts to restrain herself, but her obsession with the blue-furred speedster is too great to overcome at times. She herself has admitted she may have an issue with mental health because of it._

 _Despite this, her abilities as a Huntress are nothing to laugh at. Her Semblance, Gravity Punch, is perhaps one of the most devastating as with it she can deliver a punch that can leave a crater in the ground. She has been known to also enhance her kicks with it, putting her kicks up there in terms of impact power with Dracon's. She also carries with her a hammer that she calls the Graviton Hammer because she not only infused earth Dust into it to boost its durability, she can use her Semblance with it to further increase the damage to Grimm or any rogue Hunters._

 _While she is fast, she's not as fast as Sonic, preferring to use shoes laced with Speed Dust to increase her running speed. She arrived onto the scene of the Hunters a few years ago, slaying a Geist possessing a cluster of boulders, all in defense of a small town using only her hammer. Her competitive spirit puts her at odds with other Hunters, but she can be quite observant at times too, leading some to speculate that she's not as dumb as she seems to be._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Quirks make us all unique. Like for some people, they don't handle social situations very well. Other times they can seem emotionless. And sometimes people can be downright annoying," TOM lectured as he closed the file on Amy Rose. He leaned back in his seat. "Besides, some quirks can be good, and some can be bad. It all depends on the person."

He pressed a few buttons on his arm rest and a set of three screens came up, one depicting a male human with brown hair and Prussian blue eyes, a serious look on his youthful features. A second screen showed a woman wearing a suit, brown hair draped down her back in a braid and green, almost hazel eyes. The third screen showed a wolf-like life form with blue and white fur. "These three each have unique quirks. Such as needing to refrain from becoming overwhelmed with emotions during battle." He gestured to the man.

"Or a need to refrain from being blunt all the time, especially when confronted with issues like equal rights for all humans." Here his hand landed on the screen of the woman and he tapped it a few times.

"Or even a need to try to retain knowledge of the past long forgotten, a burden that can sometimes lead to enormous stress." Here TOM gestured to the blue and white furred life form. "But as I said, each quirk is unique. So, what quirks do you have? And don' be afraid to admit if they're good or bad. Truth is, some can be both. So, which quirks do you see as good, and which do you see as bad?"

He pressed a button on his chair's arm rest and leaned back.

* * *

 _ **(** The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 _ **(** The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of blue energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show the white-clad warrior known as Omnimon_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight** ( _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Interlude Stage**

* * *

The next day I woke up to the sun shining in through the window.

But the thing was, I hadn't had as much recharge as usual. Primarily due to the disturbing images that still floated around in my processor. But I forced myself to ignore them as best I could. However it turned out to be harder than I thought.

I rubbed my faceplate with my hands as I groaned. "Dammit... Never go into a haunted kitchen before you need recharge..." I muttered as I sat up, shaking the last vestiges of sleep from my processor.

I checked the clock on the dresser beside the bed and I groaned as I saw that it was only about eight in the morning. Usually I got up around nine or so, depending on when I got to bed. But this time I had woken earlier, mostly due to the fact I had some trouble even getting into recharge. I threw the covers off my frame and got out of bed, flaring my wings and flexing them a bit.

After I did my usual stretches, I exited the building, clad in my western getup and equipped with my beam pistols.

This time the resort was strangely quiet. Maybe it was because of the Tournament, or who knew what? I had no idea. I did see some people out and about, but for the most part things were silent.

I turned and headed away from the saloon this time. There was no way I was going back there until I knew for sure what the hell was going on here.

This whole community was starting to seem rotten at its core. Well, not the people who came to visit or who lived here, but those who ran it or supplied the food. For once, I was actually _glad_ to have been crippled by a Grimm. Because then if I hadn't, I'd have been one of those who ate one of the delicacies here, and perhaps have been scarred by it. Truthfully the theory I had was enough to make me shudder against my will. But I needed hard proof, rather than just a bunch of visions and dead voices resonating in my thoughts.

So I decided to go exploring.

The town I described in my first log entry for this segment, but there were a few places I had left out intentionally. One of these was the big warehouse located right behind the hospital. It did receive medical supplies and goods, but it also was a distribution and storage point for the food used to feed the guests and tourists. The warehouse was a modern building, with a strong metal roof and steel walls and doors, with glass windows at the top. A nearby field of solar panels was hidden behind several plateaus, providing power to the facility. I couldn't exactly see the panels, but I did learn that they were there from seeing the cables running to the warehouse.

I made my way down to the hospital, passing by some of the early risers as I did so.

My optics roved over a few of them and at once I felt my reactor skip a few seconds of humming.

There were three of them, three of the cat Mobians I had first encountered here. They seemed to be muttering as they wandered down the road leading to the warehouse. My wings twitched as I followed them. I swore that my footsteps were far too loud as I tried to keep a good distance from them. I knew that Mobians and Faunus both had enhanced hearing, which made it difficult to evade detection since they could pick up on the faintest of sounds. Well, maybe not as sensitive as my audio receptors, but still very sensitive regardless.

They did seem unaware of me though, so that meant I had found a good distance at which to follow them.

The trio of cat Mobians finally arrived at the warehouse and approached the guarded door. One of the men in front looked at them before he gestured. I crept as close as I dared before plastering myself against the wall that surrounded the place and peeked around the corner. I zoomed in on their shapes with my optics, picking out the pistols and guns in their holsters before shifting my gaze to their faces. I couldn't exactly read their lips, so I had to turn up my audios to their highest sensitivity.

Now I could hear what they were talking about, but not very well. I cursed Dr. Vist for not using more advanced audio receptors in my frame, but then again he had to make do with what he had at the time. And perhaps it was just as well, too. Still, I could hear them at least.

"...need to get some meat," one of the cats was saying to the guard.

"Yeah? Well, you still need to show some ID. No ID, no entry," the guard said seriously.

"Too bad _this_ idiot forgot them!" a second cat snarled as he smacked the third one upside the head. "And right when we need some meat, too!"

The guard gestured with his rifle. "Get out. If you find your IDs, then I'll let you in. Until then, no entry. Simple as that."

The cats grumbled and slinked off, leaving me to become suspicious. What kind of meat did they need? This warranted an investigation.

The only issue was how to get past the guard. My gaze swept across the complex, taking note of the security cameras and their locations, which made it difficult to get past them. "Dammit..." I muttered. I knew I didn't exactly have any ID on my person, but... maybe...

Taking a breath through my vents and letting it out, I stood up and flicked my wings a few times before squaring my shoulders and stepping out of hiding. My reactor was whirring loudly in my audios as I walked, and my hands shook before I clenched them into fists. I wasn't too surprised when the guard heard my footsteps, but when he raised his rifle I stopped.

"Hold it! No entry beyond this point!" he barked.

"Wait!" I blurted, holding up my hands in submission. "It's not what you think!"

The man narrowed his eyes as he looked me up and down. "Yeah? Then explain what you're doing here, and who you are!"

I nodded. "Right. First off, my name is Joseph Matthews, better known as Dracon for my appearance," I said, introducing myself. "I'm here as part of an investigation into the disappearances of infant Mobian children, specifically the mouse breed."

"Wait. The Dragon of Denver?" the man asked without lowering his rifle. "What are you doing out here?"

"I just told you," I explained. "I'm here to investigate the disappearances of mice Mobian infants. And I tailed those three cats to this warehouse."

"So? They come here all the time asking for meat. They usually show an ID, but this time they forgot it." The guard just scoffed. "Not unusual as some people lose their stuff all the time."

"But I've got reason to believe there's something more going on here than you know," I persisted. "And it's connected to those three cats and some illegal hunting going on here!"

Now _that_ got the guard's attention. "Wait. Did you just say... illegal hunting?" he asked, lowering his rifle at last.

I nodded. "Yes. As you know the UN has issued a ban on all hunting game unless you can get the permits, and that process takes years."

The guard paused as he looked down at his feet. "Hmm..." Then he looked me in the optics again. "And you suspect that there's a connection between the disappearances of the infant mice Mobians and this illegal hunting?"

I nodded again. "Yes."

The man shifted as he looked around before he sighed. "My wife and I adopted a mouse Mobian child recently, so... I'm kind of worried about her." He met my gaze with his blue eyes before he walked to the door and placed his rifle on his back before grabbing a key and unlocking the door. "I'm not supposed to let anyone in without an ID, but... since you're here on an investigation, I can let it slide for now. Just hurry up."

I gave a curt nod as he opened the door for me.

I scurried inside before he locked it behind me.

Now I was inside.

"Okay. Time to get to work..." I muttered.

I started walking around the whole warehouse, my optics scanning for anything out of the ordinary. I flicked on my helm-mounted light and started sweeping its pale beam across the crates full of goods. I could make out a few symbols marked on them, mostly of images of canned goods and whatnot. I came to a stop close to one of the crates and lifted up the lid. Inside were cans of beans and soups. My optics dimmed a shade as I closed the lid and stepped back from the crate. "Hmm..."

I knew I had to start somewhere, but there was just too much here to go over entirely. All I could do was try to narrow down the search to one specific area.

And from what I had heard... the best bet would be to start in the meat section of the warehouse.

I started wandering around the building, scanning for any sign of the meat keeper.

The warehouse though was huge. Much bigger on the inside than I had anticipated. I wandered for what felt like an eternity before my optics picked out the words emblazoned on the wall with a thick door. "MEAT STORAGE"

"Jackpot!" I muttered. I walked up to the door and studied the lock, my optics dimming a shade. The lock was clearly well built, and it was an old-fashioned tumbler lock. That meant I'd have to get creative. So I reached for my side skirt armor and pulled out the sewing kit for my cloak. Not that I needed it anymore, but still, it paid to carry it around. I whipped it open and plucked out a needle before I looked at the lock again. I knelt and grabbed the lock in one metallic hand before I peered into the keyhole and inserted the needle's end, and not the pointed end, mind you.

It took a little time, but I finally was able to pick the lock open. I glanced at the needle and discarded it; the end was twisted and bent from my efforts. I quickly removed the lock and then I grabbed the door handle in both hands.

I grunted as I pulled, my mechanical strength proving to be an advantage in this case as that door required two people to pull it open, or even a small forklift. A gust of frosty air blew out of the doorway and struck my frame, but I didn't even flinch. My frame was built to tolerate much colder temperatures.

Once the door was open, I walked inside.

And boy, was I right to check it out.

The whole place was filled with packages of meat, but most of it from cows, chickens, ducks, turkeys, sheep and pigs, and even bull and bison. But there was one spot that seemed to scream ' _danger!_ ' to me. Or rather, my psychoframe began to pulse with a dull aching sensation. I forced myself to ignore it as I crept through the meat storage locker until I came to a partially concealed door. It appeared to be heavily bolted, but there was no lock on it. I dimmed my optics a shade.

This was not looking good.

I peeked into the window, and I swore that had I been human, I would've barfed right on the spot. I staggered back from the window in the door, nausea and disgust surging through my circuits and systems. I gagged audibly before I shook my helm to try and dispel the sight. But it wasn't that easy.

I squashed any queasiness I felt in my lower torso and peeked in again, this time taking the time to record what I could.

Bodies.

That was what was in there.

Bodies and bodies of infants and young children.

"...So this is where their bodies disappear to..." I muttered softly. "But why store them in here? For hiding from the authorities? Or... Oh... God..." My voice trailed off as I began to shake. "Are they... murdering them?!"

I staggered back from the window, shutting down my recorder. "This... This has to be reported!" I breathed.

I turned and bolted for the door.

Now I _knew_ something was wrong.

But I still needed more information.

And I was determined to get it more than ever.

* * *

I arrived back at the town later that morning. Tanya and Feivel were waiting for me as I came back, both of them with excited looks on their faces. "Hey! Dracon!" the mouse boy called, waving his hands. "Where were you?"

"I was... out on business," I said vaguely, trying to hide my disgust and horror at what I had just uncovered. "Sorry."

"It's okay. That aside, are you gonna start practicing for the target contest?" he asked eagerly.

I nodded. "Yeah. I am. I just need to find a place to practice at."

' _And maybe get what I saw out of my processor._ ' I thought to myself.

After this adventure, I was going to delete the images of those dead children from my memory files for good. And that's one of the perks of being a Gundam: the ability to delete any disturbing and outright horrific images from my memory files. (I still know what happened, but the images themselves are gone.)

Regardless, I decided to hunt around for a spot to practice my aim.

The only places really where in the old cemetery, which some claimed was haunted, or the desert itself. And given recent events, I wasn't too keen on going someplace where ghosts were said to lurk. So I headed out into the desert, followed by Feivel and Tanya.

The three of us stopped not too far from the town, right near a cluster of cacti and rocks. I studied the area for a moment before I nodded. "Yeah. This spot'll work."

"Good. We also got you these!" Feivel reached into a backpack Tanya was carrying and pulled out a bunch of dishes painted with red target circles. "Well, we sort of borrowed them from the saloon, but they got so many they won't notice a few missing!"

My optics snapped to him. "You stole these?!" I blurted.

"No! Wel... yes... But that's not the issue. They don't even really care, since they got so many!" the boy exclaimed. "So why not use a few spares?"

I did admit, he had a good point. Targets would make my shooting a lot easier. "All right. But do not do that again!" I scolded him.

"Fine... Geez. You sound like my mother..." he muttered as he handed the dishes to me.

I took them and proceeded to set them up resting against the arms of the cacti. I wasn't too sure if they'd stay, but I was determined to make sure they'd stay as long as possible. The only issue was... if they got hit, they'd break. And that was not what I wanted. I looked down at one I was holding and growled. "Dammit..."

"Trying to target shoot, son?"

I yelped and dropped the dish I was holding as Feivel and Tanya shrieked and clung to one another. I spun around, my hand flying for one of my beam pistols before I realized it was just the dog Mobian I had first encountered on my arrival here.

"Oh. It's just you," I gasped, trying to calm my racing reactor. "Glob, you scared the shit out of me."

"I'm sorry if I did," the Mobian said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "But you seem to be trying to shoot targets, right?"

"Yeah. I was going to when you scared me," I remarked.

"Hmm..." He studied the makeshift target course and then shook his head. "No. No, no, no. All wrong. You don't use dishes. You use real targets."

"But we don't have any," Tanya protested. "This was all we could find!"

"Maybe, but maybe not. There's tons of other stuff to use for such a thing," the dog explained as he proceeded to walk down the course and pluck the dishes out of the cacti. "So we'll be returning these and using what I have instead."

I cocked my helm at that. "What you have?"

He nodded as he looked back at me. "Yep. So you stay right here. I'll be back."

The three of us stood beside the cacti for about a half hour, speculating on what he was going to bring instead. Theories the two kids had ranged from drones to softballs, but I wasn't too interested in theories. If what I was guessing about the dog Mobian was right, then he no doubt had military grade gear, as Huntsmen often used that kind of equipment to keep their skills sharp. Hell, the military used such things all the time, and back during my training in the Vist Foundation headquarters, I used the same kind of equipment.

And actually, I was starting to get a bit worried. The dog Mobian seemed to be taking a long time. I was about to go find him when my optics picked something out in the distance. I zoomed in on the figure and was surprised to see the dog lugging what appeared to be a military-grade container behind him with some ease. It looked like it was heavy, and I shifted a bit, feeling an urge to go help him. As a Gundam, I would be able to lift it much easier, but then I paused, realizing that it might be a bad idea if that container was filled with stuff he used back when he was a Huntsman. I sighed and stayed put.

He came up to us fifteen minutes later, his fur streaked with sweat, but his eyes filled with determination as he lugged the container in front of us. He knelt and entered a code on it before it beeped and unlocked. "This stuff here is from back when I was a Huntsman," he explained. "And I'll be teaching you lot the necessities of proper gunmanship."

"Uh... we're not in the tourney," Feivel squeaked. Tanya nodded.

"Son, even so, you may one day become a Huntsman, so you'll need to know the proper techniques," the dog said seriously.

"Oh..." The boy's voice trailed off as he looked at us.

"Now, we'll be training with these drones." The dog Mobian reached in and pulled out a pair of drones, one of them clearly looking like it had seen better days. It was all scuffed and dented, but it was still intact. He pressed the buttons on the sides and they whirred to life, their little rotors spinning as they came to a hover beside him. "It's not much, but it's a start."

"Okay...?" Tanya cocked an eyebrow.

"And you two..." The dog reached back into the container and pulled out a pair of handguns, one for Tanya and one for Feivel. He tossed the weapons to the kids and they yelped as they caught the guns. Tanya examined hers before looking at the dog.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "I'm not much of a Huntress..."

"You will be when I'm through with you!" the dog barked.

The mouse girl squeaked as she fiddled with her gun and nodded. "Yes, sir!"

"Good. Now, line up. All three of you. We'll be starting with aiming." The dog gestured for the drone closest to him to fly over to a cactus. The little machine whirred to the right, coming to a rest atop the desert plant. "Your objective will be to shoot the drone atop that cactus. But first you have to get the aim down."

The three of us got into a line as the dog Mobian examined us. He looked at the two children and nodded his head in approval. Then he turned his attention to me.

"Hm. The Dragon of Denver. Never thought I'd be teaching you gunslinger skills," he noted. "But, still, better to be safe than sorry. So, as for you, you're not allowed to use any newfangled targeting system or whatever, let alone zoom in on your targets using your fancy optics. This is all about aiming properly."

I nodded. "Yes, sir!"

The dog snorted. "And call me Wyle. Wyle Burp. I'm not a Huntsman anymore. I'm retired. So no need for the 'sir'." He looked at all three of us with a serious look in his eyes. "Got it?"

"Right!" we all said as one.

Wyle stood off to the side as he nodded at us. "Okay. Show me what you can do first. Then we'll get to work."

Feivel was first. He slowly took the time to aim his pistol and squinted one eye shut. He stuck out his tongue before he pulled the trigger and the gun barked, the recoil being enough to knock him flat on his back. While his aim was decent, he missed the drone and instead struck the cactus. Wyle shook his head. "Not bad, but need improvement."

The mouse boy got to his feet and looked down at the ground with a disappointed look on his face. He sloughed over to where his sister waited her turn.

I was next. I pulled out one of my beam pistols and examined it before I looked at the drone. I took in a figurative breath through my vents and let it out before I aimed at the drone. I tried to avoid using my targeting system, which was difficult as it was automatic. So I had no choice but to shut it down. That meant I couldn't see the reticle in my vision. I positioned myself enough to where my arm was aimed right at the drone and fired.

But my shot missed. I grumbled as I holstered my pistol and walked back to my spot.

Wyle frowned. "Your aim is way off," he explained. "You don't aim with your arm. You gotta aim with your eyes. That's the key here."

Tanya was the last one to take a shot, no pun intended. Her eyes narrowed before she fixed her gaze on the drone and fired. Her shot did strike it and knock it off, but not to the ground. The little device's rotors only whirred as it came to a stop above the cactus top. Her eyes went wide and Wyle smirked. "That's decent, but you didn't send it to the ground."

He finally looked at each of us with a critical gaze. "You, boy, need to work on keeping yourself stable and stationary. Your aim was way off from the drone. And the recoil knocked you on the ground. So you'll be undergoing strength and endurance training to help keep your balance while firing."

Then he turned to Tanya. "Your aim was better than his, but you need to hit the critical point to knock that drone off properly. So you'll be firing at those rocks repeatedly until you can knock a soup can off of them."

Wyle finally directed his gaze to me. "And you. You aimed with your arm. You gotta lock onto your target with your eyes. Not your body."

I was about to protest, saying that I had aimed with my optics, but he cut me off. "And no trying to get out of it, boy! You're dealing with an expert gunslinger here, so I know what I'm talking about!" Wyle growled. His Aura flared into action, startling me as he stepped closer. "Got it?"

I felt my reactor leap into my throat and I gulped. "Right!" I squeaked.

Wyle's Aura died down and he backed away from me. "Right. So you will be trying to hit this drone. Not just in stationary, but also moving. If you can learn to anticipate where it will be, and hit it three times, you'll pass my course."

I nodded. "Roger!"

The dog Mobian directed us to our spots to begin training. We only had a few days before the next stage, so I was determined to get as good as I possibly could be before then.

Wyle proceeded to program one of the two drones to act as a stationary, then moving, target. Then he directed it to me and started to get to work on helping the two children.

I proceeded to get to training. My pistols were in my hands as I aimed and fired, but like before, my shots were off by a margin or sometimes wide. I didn't understand what I was doing wrong. I was doing my best to aim with my optics. I mentally gritted my teeth as I growled in frustration. "What am I doing wrong?" I muttered.

Of course, I didn't exactly get an answer. Not that I could. anyway.

Still, I kept at it. We all did. The training lasted for a total of eight hours, so the sun was starting to set by the time we were done. Wyle had been kind enough to provide food and water for the children, so that was a good thing. But me? Well, I was stuck training until he decided to call it quits for us. Feivel's legs were wobbling as he waddled down the path towards the town, and Tanya was rubbing her aching hands. My frame wasn't able to get exhausted in the sense of an organic exhaustion, but my energy levels were quite low, which wasn't too much of a surprise in all honesty.

The three of us headed back to the resort town for some rest and relaxation that evening. Tanya and Feivel met up with their parents and Wyle as well who explained to them what the kids had been up to. And as for me? Well, I was too tired to even stick around. So I conked out on the bed in my room.

Of course, I had no idea as to what I would experience later that night.

* * *

 _"Noooo!"_

 _My optics flared online at the sudden cry. I jerked upright in bed, my frame tense, as I looked around the room. Strangely, the place seemed to have obtained a sepia tone to it..._

 _Like Windbear's Semblance._

 _I was out of bed in a flash, running to the door and throwing it open, only to come face to face with a gruesome sight._

 _My optics widened as I stared in shock at a young mouse Mobian girl, her guts trailing down the hallway. Her eyes were lifeless and blood dripped from the wall above her, a knife embedded into her forehead. I staggered back, my mind reeling as I inched down the hall, trying to avoid the gore and blood. "What... the... hell...?!" I rasped, my vocalizer's tone a lot higher than normal._

 _I bolted for the staircase, only to see the same sight of a mouse Mobian gored and innards spilling everywhere. I was now starting to panic. My processor was racing on overdrive and I felt the first signs of overheating. I ran as fast as I could, darting down the halls and into the lobby, vaulting over bodies and bodies of children. Screams were starting to reach out to me, and I wasn't even aware I was flying as I instinctively kicked on my flight pack._

 _I kept flying, trying to outrun the sight. The whole town seemed to be littered with the bodies... buildings morphing into sinister shapes and whatnot as I fled. I felt like something was trying to pull me back... back towards that town of death._

 _I spotted a shape I knew all too well, and I tried to flee for it: the sign of my hometown. But it seemed to be getting farther and farther..._

 _And then I was drawn back. I screamed as loudly as I could, but no sound escaped my vocalizer._

 _And in front of me, I saw a shape that looked drastically misshapen. Behind it stood a sinister round shape, the misshapen figure holding a clawed hand out as it grabbed me and proceeded to stuff itself down my throat..._

* * *

And I snapped awake.

I gasped as I woke up, my optics flaring online as I sat upright in bed, my reactor whirring loudly in my audios. I was shaking like a leaf as I gazed down at my hands. They were shaking noticeably and I clenched them into fists. "Dammit... What _was_ that...?" I muttered.

I had never ever had a dream like that before in my entire life. Even as a Gundam.

Plus, my psychoframe was aching slightly. I rubbed my arms a bit to try and alleviate the sensation, but it did little to help with the entire thing.

But the biggest question was... what was going on here?

And what was with that dream? It was so... disturbing on so many levels.

I needed some air.

I got out of bed and hurriedly donned my outfit before bolting from the hotel and out into the darkness. It was only 0200 hours in the morning, but I needed some air to try and clear my head. Especially now.

I ran down the deserted street, trying to avoid even _looking_ at that saloon as I bolted past it, running and running until I came to a stop, panting slightly. I looked back at the town, my mind now filled with all kinds of theories and thoughts as to what was happening.

In truth, I needed some time to try and clear my head, as well as piece this together. But the thing was, I was still lacking information. And some of it had to do with what exactly was happening to the mouse Mobian infants and children. I knew there was a lot going on, and it had something to do with the deaths as well as the bodies in that warehouse's meat storage. As well as that damn cook.

I wandered around the desert for a few minutes near the town, trying to figure out what to do to get that missing information. I knew I could ask the sheriff, but something told me that the sheriff had been bought by Cat and his men. And then there was Wile E. Coyote. Something about that Mobian just screamed danger. How did he tie into this? And what of the cook? I was getting a bad feeling from her as well, in more ways than one. Especially since the kitchen had looked so unused...

I needed to get back in there and find out more. But given what I had experienced, I wasn't too keen on it.

That was one thing I needed to do. The second thing was to ask the guard at the warehouse if he knew of what was contained in that meat storage. If he knew, then I could get some information from him. But if he didn't know, then that would be a problem, and I would have to try and wrangle that information from one of the 'hunting' parties, so to speak. And something told me that they wouldn't be too keen on revealing anything related to their... game... in any way.

That was the second objective. And the third was to try and gather information about Wile. As well as the cook. Especially that cook. I wasn't sure why she was suddenly in my thoughts so much, but I guessed it had to be because of my psychoframe. And I also needed to know how they connected with Cat, whom I was starting to get a bad feeling from as well.

Mostly as he seemed to be hiding something.

And then there were the ghosts.

That was the last objective on my list. To try and find out as much about the so-called 'disappearances' as I could, and of how they wound up in that freezer.

And that part was going to be the most difficult.

I finally came to a stop close to one of the rock formations, and leaned against it, my optics locked onto the horizon. I could see the faintest edges of the sun's light beginning to creep up, and I checked my internal clock.

The time was now 0400 hours, so I had been out much longer than I thought.

"Now what'll I do...?" I murmured. "Which objective should I tackle first?"

I knew I could tackle the ghost one first, but I immediately discarded that idea as it meant I'd have to go back into the town. And I needed some time away from it for a while. So I pondered asking about Wile and the cook. But again I dismissed that thought as soon as it formed. I wasn't about to go into that place and ask since I was still shaken from that nightmare or whatever it was. The idea of investigating the kitchen was also disregarded. So that left only one choice: the option of asking the guard what he knew.

It was better than nothing, at least.

Of course, I had no idea I was being watched at the moment.

* * *

 _"Ah... He'ssss here..." the serpentine voice hissed in pleasure. "I can't wait to get my handssss on him..."_

 _"Now, calm down. You'll get your chance," his companion said as he laid a hand on his scaly shoulder. "But I do agree that I find it quite... convenient, so to speak." A thoughtful look crossed his features. "Maybe..."_

 _Snakelike eyes narrowed in anticipation._

 _"Perhaps... Yes. You can go at him," his companion mused. "It would be a good test of his skill against you."_

 _"You are sssseriousssss?" the snake eyes mused._

 _"Yes. Better to try and finish him now. He is starting to become a nuisance, since he spotted the stash in the warehouse..." the cat Mobian purred. "He cannot be allowed to leave here alive."_

 _A mouth full of fangs curled upward in a sneer. A gun rested on in his hand and he shifted as he held up his tail. The gun slid into position on it perfectly. He spun the Dust chamber to land on a purplish Dust canister. "It will be my pleasssure..." he sneered. "I've been wanting to at him for dayssss now."_

 _"Just remember. He's an experienced warrior like you, only with more firepower," his companion cautioned._

 _"And remember who you are with," the snakelike entity spoke. "No one esssscapessss me for long!" His forked tongue flicked out and tasted the air. "And he will be no exception..."_

* * *

I suddenly perked up as my radar blared loudly in my head and I reacted on sheer reflex, ducking as my audios picked up the distinct whirring of a Gatling gun. I rolled to the right as the bullets tore through where I had been mere seconds ago.

"Oh... shit...!" I swore.

The bullets that nearly hit me? Well, the ground where they impacted was seething with purple venom. And it was literally _boiling_ the soft desert earth! I could smell it from where I was, and I gagged before I closed the vents beneath my faceplate to try and block the stench. It smelled a lot like decomposing flesh.

I glanced at the spot where the rounds had come from, and I tensed at seeing a hulking figure in the shadows. At once the image of the Infraggible Krunk came to my mind, but I brushed it aside. No. He was a big hulking mass of muscle. This figure looked to be just as big as he was broad and tall. And by big, I mean _huge_! From a brief glance, he seemed to be about six foot five, but as he drew closer, his boots making a loud thunking on the desert sand, I could see that he was even bigger than that, probably a good foot over my own six foot two frame.

"Nice reflexessss, Dragon of Denver," a sinister snakelike voice hissed out from the shadowy figure. "Your reputation precedesss you in many wayssss."

"Says who?!" I growled, my hand flying for a beam pistol.

"Sayssss the one who will kill you," the figure said.

His boots came into the faint morning light, his snakelike scales glittering as he emerged from the shadows. His arm twitched as he held his Gatling gun aimed right at me, and my optics picked out the purple Dust in the canister. That sent off warning buzzers in my processor.

I had heard of purple Dust, as it was known across the world as being extremely acidic, much moreso than even the green toxic Dust. If that stuff touched any sort of manmade material, it was dissolved into nothing but purple goop that then hardened into more purple Dust. On organics it was even worse, as it mutated them into unspeakable horrors. Many people across the world insisted that they stop its formation by launching it into space, but due to its acidic nature and mutative properties, that was not possible unless it was launched in a specialized container that contained a magnetic field.

NASA, which was at the forefront of this effort, however, brought up the risk of purple Dust falling back to Earth and impacting the ground, creating vast deposits of the stuff. But that didn't stop them from trying to find a way to launch it far into the deep reaches of outer space.

Regardless, it was a devastating weapon in the wrong hands.

But it was nothing compared to the Mobian who was using it.

He stood at a whopping seven foot three, well over my six foot two height, and he seemed to be _made_ of muscle. His scaly form did nothing to conceal it, and instead seemed to make him even bigger than he already was. His eyes were a dangerous hazel color and glinted like shards of amber. His face was twisted into a sneer and he had a nasty scar across his right eye, which was still functional despite the nasty gash. He wore a pair of tattered black pants and cowboy boots that were equipped with two spurs on the backs, but these spurs looked like they could do some major damage if he kicked hard enough. He wore nothing on his chest, just a tattered brown vest and on one of his arms was a Dust storage container, containing purple Dust canisters. I wasn't sure how he was even able to carry them without being mutated, before I realized that maybe his equipment was made from natural materials such as naturally occurring iron and bronze, etc. On his tail he carried a massive Gatling gun.

"Oh... crap..." I muttered.

Now I knew who I was dealing with.

I had heard rumors of him, but to actually see and fight him?

Yeah. I was screwed.

This Mobian was none other than the feared outlaw, Rattlesnake Jake. And he wasn't an opponent to take lightly, as his size was suspected to be due to a mutation in his DNA. But it did little to slow him down. In fact, his size granted him much greater strength than a normal Mobian. In fact, I guessed he'd be as strong as me, almost. Or even Omnimon. But then again, I wasn't too sure.

Anyway, he was one sadistic outlaw, with rumors saying he killed his enemies by using purple Dust to first mutate them and then slaughter them with his bare hands after they freaked out and panicked upon their mutations completing. He was once quoted as saying "It's a pleasure to watch them become what they truly are and then seeing them discover their true selves." Of course, I had no idea if that was even true, and I was not about to ask him.

Not since my life was on the line.

I had no idea if my frame could even stand up to purple poison Dust!

So I had to be careful.

Rattlesnake Jake sneered at me as I removed my beam pistols from my skirt armor and flared my wings out from under my cloak. His eyes glinted as he started to circle me, studying me like prey.

I crouched and started to slowly turn on the spot, my wings arching themselves in a defensive manner. I kept my optics on him all the time as we started to dance in a sense.

Then he lunged, his dark green Aura flaring into existence as I reacted by dodging to the left, landing on my feet and skidding as I fired my pistols.

I only hoped I could win this fight.

* * *

 _A pair of green eyes watched in horror as the orange feline clasped a hand to his mouth. "Oh Glob..." he muttered. "What'll I do? I can't let him get killed!"_

 _The cat Mobian shifted as he looked at his machine gun resting in his paws. He wasn't much of a terrorist, let alone a fighter. Oh, no. He was more of a coward than anything. That was why he was fleeing from Cat R. Waul and his gang. He wasn't about to let this senseless murder go on._

 _And if he had to fight to end it, then he would, no matter how cowardly he was._

 _Especially now._


	28. Arc II - Interlude Stage - Part II

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Outlaws_

 _There are many threats within the Wildlands. Many of them tend to be simple bandits and thieves, with individuals claiming to be warlords ruling over them. In truth, these so-called 'warlords' are nothing more than chieftains who are vying for power. But that does not mean they are fools or incompetents._

 _Some of these chieftains go one step further._

 _They attack not just their neighboring tribes, but also supply routes and caravans that traverse these dangerous lands._

 _These bandit chieftains are known as Outlaws. However, not all Outlaws are chieftains._

 _There are some Outlaws who come from the tribes and have made their mark as well. These lone Outlaws are perhaps the most dangerous, as they have no one else to supply or care for. It's all about them and what kind of money and goods they can extort or acquire. Despite the best efforts of the Guardsmen led by Quickdraw McGraw, the legendary gunslinging Huntsman, these outlaws continue to grow in number and plague the settlements in the Wildlands with an unbelievable ferocity. This has led the United States government to declare the Wildlands a hostile zone until further notice._

 _Close File_

* * *

"What are thieves? Well, that's a question that can never be truly answered correctly. In most societies, thieves are those who take things without paying for them. And that is only in peacetime," TOM remarked as he closed the Outlaw file. "But what about in wartime? In war, many people tend to steal and send back objects from their conquests as souvenirs. So are those soldiers thieves, or is it a trophy? War is where the lines between what is wrong and what is right blurs. Take World War II for example, or perhaps a war that turned out to be a squabble over of all things, genes."

Here TOM pressed a button and brought up a screen that showed a war waging in space, between what appeared to be humanoid machines. Some of them all have a distinct V-shaped crest on the forehead while the others all appeared to be simplistic in their design. "While the majority of the fighting raged in space, some fighting did occur on the ground, and there, in the front lines, people resorted to theft and stealing just to stay alive. So are those people thieves, or were they merely trying to stay alive? In war, no one is immune from suffering. It all depends on the circumstances to decide if someone is a thief or just trying to live."

He pressed another button and the screen closed down. "So, next time you spy something that seems attractive, do us a favor and pay for it with money." TOM leaned back as he touched the button on his chair's left armrest.

* * *

 _ **(** The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 _ **(** The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of blue energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show the white-clad warrior known as Omnimon_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight** ( _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Interlude Stage - Part II**

* * *

I only hoped I could win this fight.

My pistol shots barely missed his right arm as he dove to the opposite side, his Gatling gun spooling up to fire again. I reacted by crouching and springing to the side as the rounds struck the ground where I had been mere seconds ago.

I glanced back over my shoulder as I landed and skidded, my optics flaring in anger at seeing the ground seething with that purple goop. I turned my gaze back towards Rattlesnake Jake as he sneered. "Well, you sssseem to favor dodging over actually attacking me," he grinned.

"Hardly!" I shot back. I aimed again and fired a few more shots.

But Jake's dark green Aura flared into existence and took the beam shots. I hissed through my vents as I arched my wings and flared them wide open. I crouched and kicked on my thruster pack, jetting into the air as I fired again.

This time my shots barely hit him, but they still missed. I was starting to get pissed off as I landed and spun around to face Jake. What the hell was I doing wrong?!

"I sssee your aim issss horrendousssss..." Jake sneered, his forked tongue flicking out with his words.

"Don't remind me!" I muttered. I immediately regretted not bringing a weapon I was more familiar with, like my beam magnum or my Dracon fang funnels. While I still had my beam burst gun, it wasn't well suited for the locale, least of all the situation at hand. Also my fin funnels were not adequate enough, either, even though I had them with me.

But I needed to find a way to fight this guy off, and to get an edge.

Yet Rattlesnake Jake was not about to give me that option. He aimed his Gatling gun right at my chest and I gasped, flaring my wings and launching my funnels on instinct. They formed into a pyramidal shape, their beams interconnecting to deploy the 360 degree prism field. The gun fired as the barrier finished forming, the rounds slamming into it and forcing me to stagger back. I could sense the energy level of the barrier beginning to decrease, but the acid was unable to really eat through the energy field.

Jake hissed as his amber eyes flashed. "Fin funnelsssss..." he growled. "Your ssssignature weaponssss... I should've known you'd deploy thosssse."

I looked up, my optics filled with terror for a brief moment and I shook my helm to dispel it. "You're damn right!" I hissed. "I'm not about to let you even use that stuff on me!"

The snake Mobian chuckled as he hefted his gun with ease. "I'd like to sssee you try and sssstop me, Dragon!"

The two of us went at it, me using my beam pistols to try and hit him while relying on my fin funnels for protection and my reflexes for dodging. But I had to admit, Rattlesnake Jake was as fast as he was strong. His huge size wasn't even a hindrance as he weaved and dodged my blows with snakelike grace and precision. His Gatling gun also proved to be not just a good long range weapon, but close range as well, as he nearly nailed me in the helm with it. And those spurs of his did some damage to my frame as well.

He wasn't just an outlaw. He was a downright dangerous man.

And in more ways than one.

My optics dimmed a shade as I watched him after his last attack nearly struck me in the back. Jake's eyes were shimmering in the rising sun, and his Aura didn't do much to help matters, either.

The way he circled me was reminiscent of a predator, and my reactor began to hum louder in my chest. Had I been human still, I'd be sweating in anticipation of his next strike. As it stood, I felt that lump-like sensation in my throat and I made a noise akin to a nervous swallow. I felt that sinking sensation where my stomach would be if I still had one. My wings twitched as I kept my gaze locked onto his eyes.

Jake's sneer twisted itself into a sinister grin and I gulped.

Then his Semblance kicked in.

I suddenly found myself surrounded by hundreds of him, each one sneering with shimmering amber eyes. Each Jake seemed to loom over me, making me seem smaller in comparison. His huge build only added to the sinister mood, and his teeth and fangs seemed to glimmer in the rising sun. All around us there were ruins, mostly consisting of wooden buildings, but with a bombed out version of the hospital and resort as well. I looked around, shock flooding my systems and frame, making me shudder against my will.

And then the Jakes all lunged for me.

I screamed as I was buried underneath a swarm of snakes. My frame was tense as I lashed out, punching, kicking, anything to get them off of me and away from my vents and intakes. My wings flared repeatedly as I was knocked to the ground, and then I felt two thick hands around my neck. The thin metal armor there began to bend underneath the massive fingers, and I found myself coughing and gasping, trying to hit the one who was choking me off while trying to keep the snakes from my face. Static was beginning to encompass my vision and I was starting to hear a ringing in my audios as my reactor began to whirr loudly in my chest, trying to keep itself going as my air supply was cut off.

My legs kicked and thrashed as my hands grabbed onto the wrists, and I began to pull as hard as I could using my full mechanical strength, and then snakes began to swarm towards me.

I couldn't scream.

I couldn't think.

All I could do was writhe and squirm, trying valiantly to kick my assailant off.

But it was useless.

My arms began to weaken and I felt my hands slipping from the thick wrists. I gasped and coughed as my neck armor began to crumple, my intakes and vents crushing underneath the pressure.

And then I felt nothing as I lost consciousness.

Or at least I was dead.

I think.

* * *

I'm still not entirely sure as to what happened next, but as I lay there, I felt something caressing my frame, as if holding me and guiding me. It was sort of weird, but then again, given the world we live in, I'm not too surprised, in all honestly. I was sure I heard something like a voice whispering to me, but it was so vague I couldn't hear it. And those hands that held me? Well, I'm kinda hesitant to say, but they felt sort of ethereal, and yet real at the same time.

The voice seemed to guide me back to reality, for it was then that I slowly started to come to.

My HUD flickered a few times as the static began to fade from it, leaving my vision clear and crisp. I groaned, wincing to myself at the harsh sound of static in my vocalizer.

My hand flew for my throat and I rubbed at it, feeling the indentations that my attacker had made in the thin armor. (While it would normally have been a death sentence for me, I was actually surprised to learn later on that my psychoframe had deployed a field on instinct underneath my armor to keep the internals in my neck from being crushed.)

I perked up, hearing what sounded like gunfire, and then I realized what was happening.

I scrambled to my feet, running for the fighting which was raging not too far off, and my optics flashed in shock as I saw what appeared to be a cat-like Mobian fighting down Rattlesnake Jake. The cat was orange in color and wore a purple T-shirt, along with brown pants and combat boots, a dusty brown coat covering his arms and his eyes were hard as he fired his machine gun at the outlaw. He appeared to be overweight, but his muscular arms were a dead giveaway that he was not merely someone who sat around doing nothing.

And it helped that Jake was caught by surprise by this, it seemed.

"Dammit! Dammit, dammit, dammit!" the cat shouted. "You're going too far, Jake! Everyone is! This is not what I signed up for!"

"Ah. I ssssee you're having ssssome doubtssss... Tyger..." the rattlesnake sneered.

The cat grimaced. "Not doubts, Jake!" he growled. "I've had my eyes opened up to the truth! And I won't be a part of it anymore!"

"Oh, Tyger... you think you can essscape, but you can't!" Jake snickered. "Once you commit... it'ssss until you die!"

With that the rattlesnake Mobian attacked.

His dark green Aura flared and this time I avoided making direct eye contact as he moved. I watched him on my sensors as he moved, circling around to hit Tyger from behind.

I hesitated, wondering if I should act or just play possum.

But when Tyger yowled as Jake bit down on his tail, I made my choice.

I spread my wings and lunged into the fray, my fin funnels deploying from where they had landed on the ground when I was being choked.

Jake's eyes widened as he heard my thrusters roaring. I drew back a fist and slugged him as hard as I could, the blow from my punch sending him rolling across the desert sands, his gun flying free from his hand, although it still remained attached to his tail. I landed, panting heavily from the blow and from the attack he had pulled on me. As it was, I was still trying to fully recover from it, and my knees gave out, prompting me to collapse to my hands and knees as I shakily reattached my fin funnels to my wings.

"Goddammit..." I gasped. "That was a foolish mistake..."

Tyger was by my side in a flash. "Oh, thank Glob! I was worried he did you in!" he remarked.

"Forget...forget about it..." I rasped, rubbing my dented neck armor with one hand. "I've...been worse."

The cat nodded, as if in agreement, but he helped me to my feet regardless. I had to admit, he was strong for his size. I guessed he had to have some muscle under that fat of his. So he may have been a bit obese, but he was healthy regardless. Still, it's not easy to lift a 275 pound Gundam in full armaments.

"C'mon. Let's get the hell outta here before Jake comes to!" he remarked.

I nodded. "Yeah... But where will we go?"

Tyger shrugged. "Just pick a direction, I guess."

So I did. I chose for us to go west. And the sun would be against our backs, so we'd have some protection. I hoped.

I had no idea I had elected to go towards the ruins of Green River Resort.

* * *

We both ran for what seemed like miles.

In truth, it was much less than that. But it still felt long.

Me and Tyger finally arrived at what appeared to be a large plateau, but surrounding it were dozens of smaller, and somewhat weathered, shapes. I dimmed my optics a shade as I scanned over them critically. And much to my surprise, I found I was staring at ruins.

Ruins that looked a lot like those of a bombed out city. Only these bombed out remains were so weathered it was hard to even tell what was artificial and what was natural. Only a few remaining floors and walls were left. I could see the tallest of these ruins was a mere five stories, but it also seemed to be the most damaged. From what I could see, there appeared to also be old relics from the past still visible.

Tyger's eyes narrowed as he swept his gaze over the ruins, a shudder racing through his body. "Okay. I admit it. It was foolish of me to follow you. This place gives me the creeps!" he whimpered.

"Ya think you're the only one?" I retorted.

I looked around a bit more before I spotted what appeared to be a cavern entrance. It was heavily blocked by debris and rubble, but some spaces were still visible, indicating gaps in the blockage. "C'mon!" I called. "This way!"

"Why?" Tyger whined. "I hate creepy places!"

I snorted to myself. "I do too," I admitted. "But I'm not letting that stop me."

We drew closer to the entrance and I was surprised at how _huge_ it was. It looked big enough to take two trucks, side by side. And the gaps in the rubble appeared big enough for me to squeeze through. I wasn't too sure on Tyger though, as his size was kind of an issue. But I forced it from my processor as I began to scramble up the front of the rubble pile to a large enough gap in the side. I folded my wings close to my back and started to wriggle, getting my legs in first and then followed by the rest of my frame. And unlike before at Outpost Prima in the Darklands, it wasn't as tight of a squeeze; there was plenty of room for my shoulders, even with my psychoframe active: it was just a matter of height. Thank God my frame wasn't too bulky.

Tyger was right behind me, as I could hear his panting as he scrabbled his way to the gap.

Once inside, I flicked on my helm-mounted light, and the pale yellow beam swept around the interior as I pivoted my head.

The cat pulled himself inside and panted as he looked around as well. "Where... where the hell are we?" he asked.

In the glow of my light, I could see that there were walls lined with carvings. Carvings that depicted a massive battle of sorts. Not to mention that these battling figures were both Grimm and human. Faunus and Mobians were also present, but so were stranger creatures that looked to be neither human, Faunus, or Mobian. They appeared to be more like... monsters...?

My optics dimmed a shade as I crept closer to one of them and peeked at it.

One of the figures was actually a surprising sight; it was a huge eyeball with a mouth standing on a single stalk. I recoiled in shock at the image, but then I brushed it aside and stepped closer to another one.

This time the figure depicted was a large wolf-like creature, but with strange-colored fur, horns on the head and a scar on the face. I reached a hand out and touched my metal fingertips to the stone wall. I was so tempted to explore this place, and believe me, I wanted to. In fact, I was about to head off and explore, but then I heard Tyger's yelp from behind me and I turned as he pointed out the gap with a finger. "H-He's coming!" he squeaked.

I knew who he meant by that.

That damn outlaw was intent on finishing the job.

"C'mon! We gotta find a place to hide, or at least launch a sneak attack!" I called to the cat.

Tyger's eyes were wide. "What?! Are you insane?!" he screamed. "We'll get lost in here!"

"Better to get lost than dying to a snake!" I shot back as I grabbed him.

The cat whimpered as I proceeded to pull him down another corridor and just in time too since I heard the slithering voice of the outlaw. "You think you can essscape me, Dragon? I can sssssmell your fear..."

I tensed at that. I wasn't about to even question how he could smell my fear because I wasn't giving off the scent of fear due to being a Gundam. Regardless, I wasn't about to take any chances. I hauled Tyger down the corridor a ways before we both ducked into a nearby room and closed the door. I let go of Tyger's arm and we both scrambled to find hiding places. I ducked behind some old rubble while the cat slithered beneath a desk of sorts.

We both waited, tension filling the air as Rattlesnake Jake ran down the same corridor we had ducked into.

I swore my reactor was humming so loud I could hear it in my audios. I tried to take in a deep breath to calm down, but it didn't work. I drew my cloak closer to my frame to avoid having my psychoframe shine so brightly. I tuned my audios to their highest sensitivity, and then I could hear Rattlesnake Jake's heavy footsteps on the metallic floor as they came closer and closer to our hiding spot.

He paused, his boots stopping outside the door.

"I know you're closssse by..." he hissed. I shivered at how low and snakelike his voice sounded at that moment.

"But where?" he asked. He hissed as I heard his Gatling gun cock itself. "I musssst ssssay... it hassss been a while ssssince I played hide and sssseek." He chuckled lowly. "Fine. I can play thissss game. If only to humor you."

He began to walk off, leaving the two of us alone.

I turned my audios way up, listening for any sound of his footsteps. But then again, given who we were facing, for all I knew, we could be cornered like rats; he may have faked walking away. And I was not about to risk going outside if he was still out there.

I slowly inched out of hiding, moving as slowly as I dared towards the door. It seemed to take an eternity, but in reality was only a minute. I placed my helm on the door, my audios poised for any sign of Jake's presence. I dimmed my optics as I expanded my radar out as well, trying to see beyond the metal walls of our little sanctuary.

The radar screen in the lower right hand corner of my HUD flashed with a dark green Aura signature and I felt a sinking sensation where my stomach would've been had I remained human.

"Dammit..." I muttered as my optics regained their usual hue. "He's right outside there."

Tyger almost whined, but I glanced at his hiding spot and gave a loud shushing sound. He fell silent as I pondered our options.

I knew we had a limited number of choices, and all of them did not look good. As it stood, Tyger was sure to die of thirst if we stayed here for over a week, and while my frame could keep functioning for an indefinite period of time, there was the mental strain of being isolated for long periods of time. If we left, then Rattlesnake Jake would jump us and try to mutate and/or kill us. And with his Semblance, it was a lot more difficult to try and get the jump on him.

But then again... it did seem to rely on eye contact...

Like the Semblances of General Skarr and Katz.

At once I smacked my helm for realizing how stupid I had been. Had I not made direct eye contact, then he wouldn't have nearly killed me! Now that I knew how his Semblance worked, I could adjust my fighting style accordingly.

That brought me back to the matter at hand. Just how in the name of Glob were we supposed to get out of this?!

I growled to myself and nearly drove my fist into the metal wall, but I stopped myself in the nick of time. There was no way I was letting Jake find us. And this was one of those days I wished I was human again. At least then I could squeeze into tighter spaces and probably through some vents as well. And as it stood, Tyger was much too obese to squeeze through any vents himself.

So that left me... unfortunately, despite my frame.

I grumbled to myself as I started searching around for any vents in the room we had taken shelter in. "C'mon... there's gotta be a way out..." I muttered.

In truth, I was feeling like such an idiot. There was no way out. And I knew it deep down.

I slumped back, falling onto my rear as I lifted my helm to look at the ceiling. "Dammit..." I muttered.

I intended to scootch back to lean against one of the walls. That was all I intended. But instead, as I leaned back against the wall, I felt something behind me give way and I yelped as I fell through it, my optics flaring in surprise. "Ah!"

Tyger heard my yelp and ran over, only to see me disappear into the darkness. (He told me that later for the log.) His voice cried out as I fell. "Dracooooon!"

I was stunned as I fell. I could barely see wires and conduits as they flashed past me in the dim glow of my helm-mounted light and my optics; my psychoframe was currently dormant. I tried to spread my wings, but then I realized that the shaft I was in was too narrow and refolded them before they even fully extended. I reached out a hand and grabbed onto one of the walls, but my metal fingertips couldn't find any purchase. All that happened was sparks were generated by my fingers scraping against the metal. I curled my fingers deeper into the walls, trying to find some sort of purchase... anything, really.

All that happened was pain lanced through both my hands and my fingers left gouges in the walls.

I grunted against the pain, my arm servos and hydraulics straining as I attempted to slow my fall.

My optics burned as I mentally gritted my teeth. I decided to try something else, and at the same time jammed both my feet against the walls, spreading my legs open in an added effort to slow down my descent.

Now my arm servos _and_ leg servos were straining. Even my hydraulics were under intense pressure.

But it was working.

I could see myself starting to slow down, but it was too slow. The ground beneath me was coming up too fast.

I was left with no choice.

I stiffened my limbs and I flared all of my thrusters to full power.

I also flared my wings as wide as they could go, without their tips or edges brushing the walls of the service shaft.

I hoped to Glob with all my being that I wouldn't slam into the ground with enough force to scatter parts everywhere.

My reactor was now whirring loudly in my chest as the ground drew closer and closer.

My fingers dug deeper into the wall as my speed continued to slow.

And then I stopped.

Just feet from the ground.

I hung my head and let out a sigh of relief as I shut down my thrusters. "That was way too close..." I muttered softly.

I let go of the walls and landed on my chest with a metallic clang of metal on metal. I slowly got to my feet, refolding my wings and shaking my arms and legs to get the movement servos to stop aching. Well, sort of. It would fade with time.

Anyway, once I was on the ground, I looked left and right before I perked up. I could hear screaming...

And then I saw him. Tyger was falling rapidly. My optics flashed and I realized he was plummeting at a speed that was sure to leave a big mess if I didn't act. I was in motion shortly after and I lunged, catching the big furball in my arms as we both crashed. Or rather I twisted my frame so I landed on my back and took the brunt of the blow. I grunted from the impact, but other than that I was fine.

I looked at him as he slowly lifted his head. "W-Where are we?" he asked softly, his wide eyes looking around with a panicked gaze in them.

"Just calm down. We're safe," I said as I pushed him off of me. "Geez, you're heavy..."

The cat rolled his eyes. "Sorry if I like to eat so much," he retorted. "By the way, we were never properly introduced. I'm Tyger. Tyger Wallace."

"The name's Joseph Matthews, but just call me Dracon," I replied. Then I flared my optics a bit. "I am curious though. What the hell was that last fight about? Why did you intervene?"

The cat shifted nervously before he sighed. "All right. You got me," he muttered. "I used to work for Satyra. But I became disillusioned with the way things were going. So I left. And took up a job as hired muscle for Cat. His group promised me money, enough to live off of and to supply my girlfriend with. But then..." Here his orange fur seemed to take on a greenish tinge, making it seem like he had puked on his own face. I mentally grimaced to myself, but forced it aside as he continued to speak.

"Then his hunting parties began. I... I wasn't too keen on hunting wild game, but then I learned that he didn't even have the legal licensing for such an act. So he was turning to other, more readily available meat." The cat shuddered.

"What kind of meat?" I asked, remembering the strange visions I had experienced as well as the bodies in the warehouse freezer. I was slowly beginning to piece it together, but I still needed hard evidence.

"Let's just say that the warehouse is heavily guarded for a reason... and not for the reason you may think..." Tyger whispered.

I shuddered, but kept myself quiet. I needed to gather the evidence myself. And soon.

But first we had to get out of this place.

"Well, we can discuss that later. Right now we gotta get out of here," I said.

"Agreed." Tyger nodded. "So... lead the way."

"..." For a moment silence filled the air between us, and had this been an anime, I would've sweatdropped. "Uh... right..."

I turned and began walking, my optics and radar scanning all around us for any sign of a way leading back up to the surface.

But things were bound to get even more interesting.

* * *

We kept walking for a full fifteen minutes before we came across a large entryway. This door was actually fused shut, so I had to use my beam tonfas to cut a hole in the metal surface. Tyger squirmed his way through, only to stare in shock at the vast space.

"Oh... Glob..." he whispered. "I think we just stumbled onto something big..."

And boy, was he right.

My optics widened in shock and awe at the large space before us.

And it was filled to the brim with weapons.

And not just small weapons, either. These were heavy duty, military grade firearms. Not to mention mines, and even mortars and artillery shells. There were even a few tanks lined against the wall! But that was only scratching the surface from what we could see. There were more weapons placed further back, but the darkness swallowed them like shadows. I gulped as we began to walk into the large armory(?).

But nothing could prepare us for the sight we uncovered next.

A trio of strange disks lying in front of what appeared to be some kind of pod.

Confusion flooded Tyger's features and my optics flashed once in confusion. "What the hell is that?" I asked.

"Beats me," Tyger remarked with a shrug. "But something tells me we'd better bail before that snake gets here."

However, I wasn't listening.

I was too busy looking at the disks. And for some strange reason, I was getting a feeling like... pain... was emitting from one of them. It was faint, but it was there. Slowly, I began to walk towards it, my psychoframe starting to shine a dim greenish white. And there was a... a voice... calling to me from it. I couldn't explain it then, nor can I explain it now. I just knew there was a voice calling out to me, and I had to heed it.

I drew closer to the disks and my hands reached out to grasp one.

A sudden jolt of pain lanced through my processor and I cried out, nearly dropping the disk before I staggered back and rubbed my helm with one free hand. "Dammit...! What the hell was that?!"

"Uh, you okay?" Tyger asked worriedly.

"Yeah. I'm fine..." I muttered. "But..." My gaze shot down to look at the strange disk in my hand. "This disk..."

"Just forget it!" Tyger insisted.

"No. Not until I know what the hell is going on here," I remarked.

I slowly turned to the pod. I wasn't sure how I knew what I was doing, but it kinda freaked me out. There was no way I should've known how to use that ancient device. But I did. I slowly walked up to it and, after spotting the slot on the floor, inserted the disk and stepped back to place my hands on the console. I watched in fascination as my hands ghosted over the slots before I pressed down, my metallic fingers and palms seeming to fit perfectly.

And then the disk began to glow. A beam of light - somehow that device still had power - began to shine down from the ceiling of the pod and the floor, connecting them. The disk began to rise into the air before spinning. I pulled my hands off the console in shock, staggering back as the light began to glow brighter and brighter...

A flash of light erupted from the disk and pod, forcing me to shield my optical sensors and Tyger to hide his eyes behind his arms.

I wasn't sure how long it lasted, but then the light faded rather quickly. I adjusted my optics as I slowly lowered my arm...

And stared in shock at the shape lying on the floor in front of the pod.


	29. Arc II - Interlude Stage - Part III

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Base Epsileon_

 _One of the many ancient settlements from the Forgotten Age._

 _Base Epsileon has much that is unknown about it, but one thing that is clear is that it has somehow survived the eons intact, despite logic and the intense processes of nature ensuring it should be dust by now. Theories range widely as to how this is possible - ranging from the more mundane such as being built out of an extraterrestrial material, to the more absurd such as the base being part of an extradimensional armed force - but all respective archaeological fields and experts, including the Secret Saturdays, agree that this base is truly one of a kind in how it was able to withstand the ravages of time._

 _Some speculate as to what the base really contains, but because of how old it is and the decay which eroded most of the relics into nothing but fossils, there is very little to give true evidence of its age and purpose. Not even the interior holds many clues; just ancient pictograms depicting an ancient war that raged for years before the base was taken down. Ancient hieroglyphics have been found and painstakingly translated, but much of the unknown language has been lost, so what few runes remain are impossible to decipher._

 _Further study of the base is required._

 _Close File_

* * *

"Ruins. Many people are intrigued as to how the ancient worlds lived and thrived, as well as fell. But sometimes ruins often have secrets. And sometimes those secrets are not meant to be found by mere mortals," TOM explained as he closed down the Base Epsileon file. "There are many ruins scattered across dimensions, and even across the universe as a whole."

He tapped a button on his chair's right arm rest and a screen flashed into existence, showing a ruined city beneath the waves. "Like the original town of Crystal Cove in one universe. It was left in ruins because of supernatural events that took place long before the core series." TOM leaned back as the image then changed to show a city filled with bustling people as it continued to exist within a cavern beneath the Earth's surface. "Or Atlantis in another timeline, which still thrived because of the Heart of Atlantis."

As the image changed once more, it showed this time the ruins of Outpost Prima. "Or the colony of Outpost Prima in this timeline. Many people seek to find ruins to learn about the ancient past and to try to understand their ancient ancestors. But what if they can't find much? That leaves many mysteries to be solved by later generations. And what of you? Will you be one of those to find the next big mystery of the ancient world? Or will you be one of those found by an advanced future generation of archaeologists? It's all up to you. What kind of an impact will _you_ leave?"

* * *

 _ **(** The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 _ **(** The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight** ( _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Interlude Stage - Part III**

* * *

I stared in shock at the shape lying on the floor in front of the pod.

The shape turned out to be a wolf-like being, but in no way a Grimm. The figure was mostly skin and bones, with blue and white fur covered in blood and grease. A scar crossed the right side of its face and a pair of horns extended out from the fur near its head. The being's breathing was rather labored and my scanners detected that there was a huge gash across its side and chest. I glanced down at my cloak and for a moment I hesitated, wondering if I should use some of my cloak as makeshift bandages.

But then I thought better of it and instead removed the vest over my chest.

It wasn't big, but it would have to do as bandages until I got back to the hotel.

I tore it up and proceeded to wrap the being's injuries as best I could, given that I wasn't even supposed to be doing this. But my instincts were telling me to help in some way, so I did.

Tyger meanwhile was watching in mild shock and worry. "Uh... are you sure that's such a good idea?" he asked.

I glanced back at him out of the corner of my optic. "And letting this creature die is better?" I shot back.

He fell silent at that as I finished my work.

Once the figure's injuries were bandaged, I proceeded to lift the limp form into my arms.

I looked at the cat Mobian. "Look. I know you're nervous and worried. And frankly, I am too. But right now we gotta get this guy outta here and back to the hotel for proper care. Or rather the hospital."

"But we don't even know how to get out of here, let alone back up that shaft!" Tyger growled.

I lowered my gaze to the floor. "I know. But what other choice do we have?"

Tyger was silent briefly before he looked down. "Good point..." he muttered. Then he met my violet optics with his own eyes. "So, you want me to get him out, right?"

I nodded. "Yep. I'll be right behind you."

The cat Mobian nodded and grabbed the limp form from my arms before he walked back to the shaft and took in a breath. A fiery orange Aura flared into life around him and he tilted his head down towards the ground. A loud burp resonated, catching me off guard, and much to my surprise, Tyger was catapulted _up the shaft_ like a space shuttle launching. I guessed that burp to be his Semblance.

Once he was gone, I turned to look back at the armory and pod. It was shaped like an oval, but there was a space for the disks to rest, and activate somehow. I wasn't sure how it even worked, to be honest. I was tempted to do some poking around, but I forced myself to ignore the urge and started walking back to the shaft. As I walked though, I paused and glanced back at the armory one last time.

I wasn't sure about going out with just my beam pistols, but I finally turned back to the shaft and exited the armory.

I flared my wings a bit wider, allowing me to gain some lift, but not to the point where they'd brush against the sides of the shaft. I kicked on my thrusters and crouched before letting loose a burst of fire. The thrust from my liftoff was enough to propel me up the shaft. I saw the wires whizzing by, and my optics locked onto the area ahead of me.

I could barely see the shaft ahead of me, let alone the spot where we had fallen through.

But my sensors beeped, indicating a hole in the wall. And that was when I knew I had found it. I came to a hover and slowly drifted into the hole, landing on the floor of the room we had first taken shelter in.

I spotted Tyger huddling near the door with the form we had revived from the disk. He wasn't sure about exiting, and to be honest, I couldn't blame him. Who knew if Rattlesnake Jake was out there still?

I expanded my radar to try and find his Aura signature, but the dark green dot was missing. ' _Looks like he left..._ ' I mused to myself. ' _But then again, who knows what he's planning? Best to be careful._ '

My optics flickered as I crept close to the door and pried it open a bit. My hand gripped one of my beam pistols as I leaned out, my optics scanning left and right for any sign of the snake Mobian.

My radar didn't pick him up, and there was no sign of him.

Every inch of my frame was tense as I slipped out into the hall. But nothing showed up on radar, or sensors.

He was gone.

For now.

I let out a sigh of relief as I exited the room. "He's gone," I remarked. "At least for now."

Tyger whined slowly as he came out with the wounded wolf. "You sure?"

I wasn't sure, to be honest. Rattlesnake Jake was proving to be a crafty one. That was for sure. "Honestly, I'm not sure. He's a very sneaky one..." I muttered. "But then again, I'm not about to let him get the jump on us here. So we'd better bug out now."

The cat nodded and we bolted for the door as fast as we could.

The exit was still blocked by the debris, but it was easier to exit than it was to get in, as all we had to do was slide down the rubble and the interior debris acted as like a makeshift staircase compared to the exterior rubble. We were able to make it outside rather easily, which was both a good thing and a bad thing.

Good in that it was not a hassle like getting in had been. Bad in that Jake had an ambush set up for us.

As soon as we got back on level ground, a loud whirring reached my audios and I jerked my head around, my optics landing on the shape of Jake as he crouched on top of one of the ruined buildings. His gun was starting to spool up and I reacted on instinct, deploying my fin funnels and forming the 360 degree prism shield as the Dust rounds left the barrel.

The good news was I got the barrier up in time, but the bad news was that it wasn't fast enough to stop two rounds from striking my frame.

I winced and grunted from the impact, my hand flying for the spot where I got hit and touching it. But strangely, there was no purple Dust on my side, let alone any poison Dust crystals forming. I glanced down, and only saw two small dents. The bullets themselves were inert as they lay there on the ground harmlessly. ' _Huh. Guess my frame's more durable than I thought,_ ' I mused as I looked up. Jake's amber eyes hardened as he slithered off the remains of the building.

"Your frame withsssstood my Dusssst bulletssss... Amazing... I guessssss that thosssse who built it knew what they were doing then," he growled as he let his gun whine down to a stop.

"Yeah," I muttered. ' _Actually, for once, I'm glad Dr. Vist used that meteorite..._ ' I thought.

"Ssssstill, it will not be enough to protect the cat..." Jake sneered, his forked tongue flicking out and tasting the air.

"Too bad!" I remarked, flipping him the bird as I drew one of my pistols. "Your Dust rounds can't breach my beam shield!"

And it was true, too. At least as far as I knew.

But I was not about to take a chance. So I disconnected my funnels from their shield position and assembled them for an attack formation. I fired all of them at once while focusing on my target and firing my beam pistols.

While my fin funnels were accurate, my beam pistol shots were still way off. But that didn't matter as Jake's Aura was starting to weaken. He gritted his teeth and glared at me before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white sphere. I briefly halted my attack, thinking it to be some kind of a grenade and whirled around, shielding Tyger and the wolf with my frame as he threw it.

The sphere exploded and I winced, half expecting shrapnel or debris to pepper my frame. But nothing happened. Instead only thick white smoke clouded the area. I jerked my head up and looked around, my sensors scanning for Jake. But his Aura signature was gone.

He had escaped.

"Dammit!" I shouted, pounding a fist into the sand. "He got away..."

"Yeah. But can we forget about him?" Tyger asked. "We got other things to worry about now."

A quick glance at the wounded wolf in his arms and I nodded. "Right. We'll have to travel back the direction we came."

At least I hoped it was the right one.

* * *

We got back to the resort town sometime after about two hours. In truth, it seemed longer than that. But honestly, I wasn't about to question it.

The hotel was by this point starting to fill up with more guests, so it made it a bit difficult to slip in unnoticed with our... ahem... unconscious 'guest' so to speak. Tyger made it up to the floor where my room was and he lay the unconscious wolf on the bed before he left in a hurry. And I couldn't blame him.

My optics flickered in worry as I turned and left for a while. Maybe until my new companion woke up I could do something else, I mused as I left the room.

I decided to see if I could get any information from the guard at the warehouse.

I made my way down to the building a half hour later, and the guard was indeed there, his rifle held at the ready. His eyes flicked over to my direction and he frowned. "What do you want now?" he asked, his tone harsh.

"Whoa! Take it easy! It's me!" I remarked, lowering my cloak's hood a bit.

The guard's frown softened, but he didn't lower his rifle. "Sorry. Recent events have prompted me to be on high alert," he said. "Especially considering another Mobian infant went missing again."

My psychoframe pulsed slightly at the words. "Oh... shit..." I muttered. Fury suddenly filled my optics as I abruptly grabbed the man by his uniform and pulled him close. "Where?!" I demanded.

"Hands off!" the guard barked. I refused. Instead, my optics flared.

"Where... was... the disappearance?!" I hissed.

The man hesitated, but then sighed. "If you let me go, I'll tell you."

I reluctantly let him down to the ground. He brushed off his uniform and looked into my optics. "I gotta say you live up to the moniker you have," he remarked, although his voice was filled with a faint hint of panic.

"Just tell me where the kid vanished," I growled.

"I said I would tell you, but first, I assume you came here to ask me some questions?" he asked, catching me off guard.

"How did you...?" My voice trailed off, surprised that the guard had figured out why I was there.

"You are doing an investigation, right? Well, isn't that what people are supposed to do? Ask questions?" the guard joked.

I nodded. "Yeah. You got it. I did intend on asking some questions, but when you mentioned the Mobian infant vanished, well, I kinda forgot." I shrugged.

"Okay. What were you going to ask me?"

I felt my reactor leap into my throat and I gulped nervously. This was it. Now or never.

"Well, first off, I wanted to know if you knew what kind of meat the cats were asking for," I said slowly. "I mean... Do you know what's inside that meat keeper?"

The guard cocked an eyebrow. "You're joking. You wanted to ask me that? Of course I know!" he retorted. "There's cow, buffalo, bison, chicken, turkey... all kinds of meat that we have imported or hunt here in the resort. It's no big surprise. When those guys usually come out, the meat is inside a cooler, so I don't even know what kind they take. They just tell me it's for the dinner or whatnot."

I hesitated, but then I continued to speak. "Is that all? Because... well... I found something that is far worse..."

The way I spoke caught his attention and his eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?" he asked warily. "There's nothing else in there."

"Not at first glance!" I shot back, my optics hardening. The guard's eyes widened and he blinked.

"You sure you're not malfunctioning?" he asked.

"I'm serious!" I protested. "I found something that is far worse than just the stuff you mentioned!"

"Oh yeah? Like what? Bodies or something?!" the guard retorted.

I didn't even say a word on the matter. The mere flare of my optics, coupled with the silence I gave, was enough to make the guard's face pale and his eyes widen. "You... You're kidding me... right?" he rasped.

"Believe me... I wish I was..." I rasped. "But the bodies... I... it's best if I show you..."

The guard hesitated, but eventually relented and together we entered the warehouse. I hated having to do this, but considering what I was here to investigate, it made sense I had to come back. I led the guard through the warehouse until we reached the meat storage section. I pried open the door and I led the guard over to the doorway I had first seen.

"See for yourself..." I muttered.

The guard peered inside and at once his face turned pale, and horror flooded his eyes. I saw the way his mouth fell open and he clapped a hand to it, his tanned skin taking on a greenish tinge before he bolted for the doorway. He barely made it back outside before he doubled over and barfed, spewing his lunch all over the ground. He collapsed to his hands and knees and barfed twice more before he looked up, his brown eyes filled with horror, disgust, and just downright shock.

"What... the... hell...?" he panted as he glanced back at me. "That... What the hell are all those bodies...?"

"That's what I intend to find out," I muttered darkly. "Now do you see why I needed to know if you even had an idea of what they were taking from here?"

The guard nodded as he staggered to his feet. "Yeah... I do. And actually, this makes a lot of sense. I mean... I've heard of Mobian children vanishing in the desert, but then there's no remains to send back to the families that lose them. Only a few lucky ones even get anything... and even then it's slim pickings." He looked at me directly. "This has to be reported."

"Not to the owner of this place!" I snapped.

"And why not?" the guard asked. "There are bodies in there, and the families-"

I cut him off by grabbing him around the neck and pulling him close. "Look! We _cannot_ report this to Cat R. Waul or his employees! I'm getting a bad feeling from them, and the last thing we need is for them to become aware we're onto them!" I growled lowly. "So no reporting it to them, but it _can_ be reported to the governmental authorities! Got it?!"

The guard nodded, his face pale from lack of air. I let go and he landed on his feet, rubbing his throat.

"Sorry," I apologized. "But we just can't let Cat know we found them."

He nodded. "All right. I... I don't like it, but I will trust you on this."

* * *

The next hour and a half I questioned the rest of the staff about what they knew, and I uncovered a ton of information.

The cat Mobian hunting party often brought back their 'meat' to the facility for storage after a few days, and the cameras strangely usually went down around that time, which made me suspect that someone on the staff was working with the perpetrators of this sick crime. I wasn't able to get the identity of the security official in charge of the cameras, but the fact that they hadn't reported to work for a few days was suspicious in of itself. So a bit of digging yielded some interesting information on him; he was supposedly on leave due to a family emergency, but somehow I doubted it highly. I did manage to get some contact information from his desk and copied it down to my processors for later reference.

I also learned that when the cat Mobians brought in their meat every few days they came at a specific time, so that gave me an idea. I did manage to rig up a crude and temporary wireless connection to my frame so this way I could scan the footage at that particular time every few days. It wouldn't last for very long, only about two weeks at best, but it was enough for me to get an idea of what was going on. The guard in charge of the front gate agreed to inform me as well if he found anything pertaining to bodies being brought in or out.

The other thing I uncovered was that when the cat Mobians came, their IDs were usually shown via their smartphones, which made me suspect they were not real IDs at all, but forgeries in an attempt to fool the guard. He admitted to me that it did seem odd, but then again, who checked a smartphone to see if the ID was real or fake?

I finally returned to the hotel that afternoon, feeling satisfied at how much I had uncovered and accomplished.

I kept my cloak's hood wrapped securely around my head as I entered the hotel, mostly due to the fact that it was starting to get cloudy out and dust was starting to blow in from the wind picking up.

As soon as I reached my room, however, I was in for a real surprise.

I opened the door and my optics flared a bit beneath my cloak at the sight of the wolf creature up and about. "Well, I see you're up and awake," I mused aloud. The sound of my voice must've caught him by surprise because he was looking at me with a critical and calculating gaze, if that look he gave me could be considered as such. It was actually kind of hard to tell, given how gaunt and sunken his eyes were.

"Yeah...so?" the wolf replied, his voice raspy and gruff, which surprised him apparently.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

Cautiously, he tentatively answered. "I've...been worse..." he muttered. "Did...you find me?"

I just chuckled at that. "We did. Although we were not expecting _you_ to come out of that disk," I remarked as I leaned against the door.

He looked at me with an air of cautiousness before he spoke again. "How...How did you get me out of that disk?" he asked, as if trying to confirm something.

"We used what was termed the 'Unlocker'," I replied. "Although that is not a very creative name, I'm sure."

The wolf cocked an eyebrow. "Anyway...thanks...for...err...saving me..." he said, although he seemed a bit uneasy about saying that.

I just chuckled at his obvious discomfort, causing him to throw a glare my way, not that I was really bothered by it.

"Prideful, are we?" I joked as he growled.

"Just go away..." he muttered as I shook my head.

"Sorry. No can do," I countered. "Not now that you're awake and about."

He whirled on me, baring his teeth in anger. "And why not?!" he demanded as I looked back at him.

"You're hurt. And that means you are a prime target for the Grimm if you go off on your own." I replied. I didn't even flinch at his growl; not that I could, anyway.

"Says you!" he countered. "I can handle myself just fine!"

"Then why is your body shaking with the effort to remain standing?" I asked with a smug tone.

Sure enough, his legs were about to give out from under him and he shook his head to remain focused. He tried to remain standing, but his legs nearly collapsed and I felt a bit of confidence filling my chest at his predicament. "So sure of yourself, and yet your body is saying otherwise," I purred as he shot a glare back at me.

The wolf growled before he staggered to his paws and struggled to limp to a secluded corner of the room. I rolled my optics as best I could as I turned and placed my hand on the door. "I'll just let you get some rest," I said.

The wolf didn't even answer as he closed his eyes and fell into an uneasy sleep.

However, I wasn't even thinking of leaving. Instead I slowly removed my hand and crept over to the bed as quietly as I could. I sat down on the edge and took the time to study my new... guest.

His fur was definitely a mess, and it appeared to be greasy, if not soaked. A bandaged and somewhat bloodied gash on his side and chest indicated a severe war injury, if it could even be called that. The top part of his coat was a deep blue color, but a much lighter shade than my own dark blue armor, almost a sapphire color. His underbelly and legs were white, and there were hints of an icy blue on his sides and tail. And his face had a nasty scar on the side of it. He had two horns on his head, but not on the forehead. Just a bit further back from it, and he looked as if he were mostly skin and bones; no, scratch that. He _was_ mostly skin and bones, as his muscles were atrophied from years of disuse or lack of food.

This was something worrisome.

I had never encountered a creature like him before, and if anything, I needed to be on high alert since he was an unknown to me.

I decided to take it easy and just lay back, my hand drifting towards the book resting on the nightstand between the two beds. I grasped it and opened it, flipping through the pages. It was an old history book, and I had to admit it was kind of interesting, as it detailed the history of this area. Actually, not many even bothered to detail the history of the Wildlands due to how many towns and settlements failed there.

Still, it was a good read.

But as I read, my optics landed on the title of the next chapter and I jolted a bit.

 _Secrets of the Desert: Base Epsileon_

Now _that_ was something I hadn't expected.

I settled back on the bed and began to read.

 _Within the deserts of the Wildlands there lurk many secrets._

 _Some of them are as old as time itself, and some are even as old as the rocks around us._

 _There have been many discoveries in the deserts across the globe in recent years, pioneered by the Saturdays as well as other renowned archaeologists around the world. Many have uncovered ruins of ancient origin, such as those dating from before the Time of Awakening._

 _And some ruins have even been discovered from well before then. As in hundreds of thousands years old._

 _These ancient ruins have never been entered or excavated, primarily because of how old they are. Dr. Solomon Saturday was interviewed about this and he said "that the ruins older than fifty thousand years need to be protected, so there will be no excavation or removal of the artifacts present. At least until we have more experience and technology that can be used to explore them without destroying these wonders of the ancient world."_

 _It has become something of a controversy in recent years as a few teams have made efforts to dig up one of these ruins, drawing much outrage from those who seek to preserve these ancient ruins and those who wish to study them in greater detail before any such digs can take place. The Saturdays were the most outspoken, often citing statistics and even examples of these Pre-Awakening ruins being destroyed during World War II when the Nazis conducted their 'studies' on the Aryan race._

 _The United Nations has declared a number of these sites as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in an effort to protect and preserve them, but so far nothing really sufficient has been done to protect them._

 _One such ruin that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site is the mysterious outpost located in the Wildlands of America. Not much is known about this base, except for its name of Epsileon, which has been translated as roughly meaning "Final Defense" thanks to efforts of linguists and archaeologists alike. What_ is _known though is that it was part of what appeared to be a massive compound of sorts, with old ruins that still stand after millennia have passed, a feat that not even today's finest engineers, builders, and architects can replicate._

 _The area around this base is so weathered it appears to have eroded much of the remnants away. But faded and old indentations in the ground and surrounding cliff faces have shown that there were once craters there, marks left behind by some kind of battle or cataclysm that struck this area, turning it into a desert. There have been very few remains of the occupants found, only skeletons and some strange fossils that have yet to be examined and cataloged. Very few artifacts remain, but those that do indicate this base was once a booming military compound, and that the forces there were of advanced technological levels, way beyond even GrimmFall itself._

 _More study on the base will be done in the near future._

I slowly lowered the book and closed it, my optics wide.

' _So that place we discovered... those ruins... Epsileon Base..._ ' I thought to myself in awe.

I glanced at my internal clock and I noticed in mild surprise that it was getting late, almost ten. So I decided to get some recharge.

But before I did, I shot a glance back at my companion. I could only wonder how he'd react to the city when we headed back to it.

And a niggling feeling surfaced at that point. I only hoped that I didn't have any nightmares... or visions... or whatever was going on.

* * *

 _The last thing I expected was to wake up in the middle of a war zone._

 _My optics flashed online as soon as I heard the first sounds of an incoming mortar shell._

 _I wasn't about to question why I was even standing. I just moved, leaping to the side using the powerful hydraulics in my legs. I landed on the ground and spun, my wings flaring wide open as I glanced up._

 _Strangely, the war zone I was in was reminiscent of the town of Thorton, but at the same time it was far too advanced. Or was it? It was too hard to tell in the darkness of the smoke and night._

 _I looked around, spotting strange shapes that I picked out to be Grimm, but of different species. I did recognize the Nevermore, however, along with the ancient behemoths of the Goliaths. The Nevermores seemed to be smaller and more numerous compared to today's, and the Goliaths were actually using their trunks to hurl rocks and boulders at the massive structure in the distance. I zoomed in my optics and my reactor nearly stopped as I recognized the same ruins, or rather the buildings, but completely whole and intact._

 _Defenses were also up and running, ranging from five inch guns like those mounted on a destroyer to a variety of missiles and rocket launchers on movable platforms. These platforms resembled tanks almost, but sleeker and more advanced. Plus some of them were even belching_ lasers _!_

 _It was clear to me that this was not just a minor skirmish._

 _This was a major battle during the Forgotten Age._

 _My optics roved over the combating forces, noting the Grimm and then the defenders of the base, ranging from humans, Faunus, and Mobians to even stranger creatures, like an eyeball with a mouth and a single stalk-like leg, a literal golem, and even a rabbit of sorts. The groups were dealing massive damage to one another, and in the midst of it all was another creature, one that looked like a human but with black covering the entirety of their body. Their red eyes flashed as they lunged, the Grimm joining them and then there came a cry._

 _A roar of sorts filled the air and everyone, including me, glanced up._

 _My reactor leapt into my throat and I gulped at the sight of the huge beast overhead._

 _It was one of the most dreaded Grimm of all: a Dragon._

 _But this one had large wings and it seemed to be based on the mythology of European dragons, with thick black scales and its front and rear feet armed with claws. My wings twitched as I staggered back, the Grimm gazing deep into my violet optics with its pulsing red eyes, and then it lunged for me. I turned and ran, tripping over bodies of the defenders and all kinds of other things, but somehow staying ahead of the beast._

 _I didn't even see the pitfall until it was too late, and then I fell._

 _I cried out as I tried to activate my flight pack, spreading my wings in a desperate attempt to slow my fall._

 _But alas, I couldn't kick it on. I tried a few more times before I thrust my hand out in an attempt to grab onto anything that may have been sticking out of the wall..._

* * *

And I landed on the floor of the hotel room with a loud _thud_.

I slowly sat up, rubbing my helm as I brought my optics online. "Dammit... Not another dream... Well... at least there were no murdered children in it..." I muttered as I got to my feet. I shot a glance at the window, noting that the sun was beginning to poke through the curtains.

I made my way over to the window and threw open the curtains, letting the sunlight stream in.

A low growl came from the corner and I turned, spotting my guest as he stirred, trying to bury his face in his paws. "Dammit...! Keep those closed!" he grumbled.

I snorted and rolled my optics as best I could before I made my way over to the dresser where my cloak and outfit were. I grabbed my cloak and threw it around my frame before donning the boot covers, spurs and hat. The vest was nothing more than a bloody bandage at this point. I also armed myself with my beam pistols and this time slipped my Dracon fang funnels onto my rear skirt armor.

Given what was happening, I wasn't about to go anywhere without them.

As I left, I made sure to close the curtains a bit while my guest slept. I would have to learn his name later.

Today was the day of the Target Shooting.

And I had to win.

* * *

 **Name: Tyger Wallace**

 **Species: Mobian**

 **Aura: Fiery Orange**

 **Semblance: Burpee**

 **Description: Enhances his burps to where he can use them to launch himself skyward, or to deflect attacks coming his way. Can also be used like a sonic boom. The downside is that he strains his stomach, leading to possible ulcers if he's not careful**

 **Weapon: A machine gun that shoots Dust-laced bullets**


	30. Arc II - Targeting

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Tiger of the Wind_

 _Not much is known about this strange individual, nor can he recall much about his past._

 _One thing that is clear though is that he is from before the Time of Awakening, known only to all as the Forgotten Age. What few records were found showcase ancient pictograms depicting creatures much like Tiger, but of different breeds and species. This has led to many to speculate that the denizens of the Forgotten Age world were experts in genetic engineering, leading to some theorizing that maybe the Forgotten Age world was far more advanced than the current ruins show._

 _As for the type of being Tiger of the Wind is, there has been no classification appropriate for him._

 _It is also unknown if he has an Aura or Semblance._

 _More data is to be acquired at a later time._

 _Close File_

* * *

"When someone is found to have not much of a past, people begin to talk. And these kinds of people are also often watched to see if they are good or bad," TOM explained as he closed down the Tiger of the Wind file. "But that only showcases the need to be extra vigilant for lies that could spring up in their wake. After all, lies can muddle truth, and truth is the _only_ way to break down the lies. So to get through it, one has to be persistent and stubborn in getting the truth out there. That is why many journalists risk their lives in differing realities to get it out there: to urge people to make a change."

He tented his fingers as he brought up a screen showing a protest at a major rally. "But if leaders try to cause divisions, this can also cause people to second guess themselves and to question what is true and what is false. But that only can emphasize the importance of a robust and free press in a democratic society. Only they can get the truth out there. Look for the truth in multiple sources. Not just one." He gestured to a certain news network with the word FOX playing political junk in a different universe. "Ignore those that tend to espouse propaganda. Go for the more diverse networks, like newspapers, websites, and other news channels. Look beyond the lies, and you will find the truth."

TOM shut down the two screens and pressed a button on the left arm rest of his chair. "So are you going to be muddled by the fog of lies, or will you keep your eyes clear and open to the light of truth?"

* * *

 _ **(** The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 _ **(** The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight** ( _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Targeting...**

* * *

I had to win.

There was no doubt in my mind.

I had to win if I was to move on to the final stage of the tourney.

I exited the room, my optics hardening. In truth, I was actually kind of nervous about this. I hadn't had much time to practice, save for one single day.

And I was sure as hell not any better in pistol shooting.

But I had to try.

No. Scratch that. There was no other choice. I had to win, or else I was out of the tourney.

As soon as I left the hotel, my optics drifted over to the saloon, and I shuddered as memories of the visions came flittering back to my processor. I turned away from the building, but I couldn't help but get a feeling like someone was watching me.

The same feeling I had gotten during my adventure in Thorton some time back.

My wings twitched as I continued walking.

I made my way through the town until I came to what appeared to be a makeshift square. The rest of the townsfolk had already gathered to generate a sizable crowd. I squirmed and wriggled my way through until I reached the center where the rest of the competitors had assembled. I spotted Sylvester and Amy standing side by side, and I ran over to join the cat Mobian.

The crowd murmured and whispered, but I tuned it out and focused on the podium before us. I wasn't too surprised to see Cat. R. Waul coming up to it, and actually I growled a little at how theatrical he was making this whole deal. I had to keep myself from tensing my frame, so instead I clenched my fists, my metal fingertips digging into my palms.

The elegant cat made his way to the podium and grasped the small microphone in one paw.

"Esteemed guests of the Green River Resort, and of course, our honored competitors! It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the next stage in our Cowboy Tournament!" he declared. "This stage will take place on our latest shooting range, equipped with the latest state-of-the-art targets as well as those from our days in settling the Wild West! Of course, unlike the last stage, here, you will not be roaming the desert, but staying close to the range until the shooting is completed." His brown eyes swept over us all and I had to suppress a shudder.

"Here in this stage, there are three levels! Level One, which is stationary target shooting. Level Two, which is moving targets. And Level Three, which combines the two. If you complete all three levels and attain a high score, you will be one of the finalists for the last and final stage! The target points will be listed according to the pamphlet you shall see at the range. Of course, there are no enhancements such as Aura or Semblance allowed, let alone any technological advantages. It will only ruin the sportsmanship of the event." Here Cat sneered at me, but I flared my optics in response. "Now, the range is just down the main street, behind the saloon. This was chosen purely for the safety of the town and its guests," Cat explained, gesturing to the building behind us. I frowned to myself in my thoughts.

' _Dammit... That's even worse..._ ' I thought grimly.

"We shall begin within the next hour and a half. Until then, you are free to explore or do as you wish. May the best gunman win!" Cat exclaimed.

With that, the crowd and competitors split off from one another, leaving me with Sylvester and Amy. The female hedgehog was serious as she folded her arms and leaned back against one of the buildings.

"And I'm not really a gunfighter," she remarked. "I mean, I have good aim and decent accuracy, but... I couldn't hit a bullseye to save my life!"

"Yeah? You try shooting sthomething with only a shotgun!" Sylvester countered.

"At least I have some experience with ranged weapons," I remarked, catching their attention. "Just doesn't extend to pistols."

"Well, at least you have something!" Amy retorted.

I rolled my optics in response to her statement.

Sylvester merely snorted. "Yeah? Then maybe you should've brought sthomething more effective," he rebutted.

"Well, my beam magnum would stand out here!" I shot back.

Sylvester's eyes widened at the mention of my magnum. "Hold on! You have one of thosthe?!" he blurted. "I thought they were restherved for more experienced Huntsthmen!"

I nodded. "Yeah. So? Is that an issue?"

"No. I'm justht sthurpristhed you have one of thosthe," the cat remarked.

"Well, I do. And yes, it would stand out in this place," I repeated. "So I didn't bring it. And actually, maybe I should've..."

And boy was I regretting it big time, especially considering what was going on here. I mean, sure I had my fin funnels, but those were not considered guns. They were bit weapons, and those fell under a different category of weapon than a gun, handgun, or magnum.

And actually, now that I thought about it, were bit weapons even _allowed_ in the tourney?

I wasn't about to ask, but I knew I had to take a chance at some point. I finally sighed and turned back to face the others.

The next hour and a half seemed to crawl by. That whole time I was stuck with the others, trying to make small talk and whatnot. But it was difficult to concentrate as my psychoframe started to ache the closer we started to get to the saloon. I had to force myself to ignore the sensation because if I let my mind linger on it for too long, I would no doubt get overwhelmed by it.

And that was the last thing I wanted during this tournament.

Finally, Cat called out to us. "All competitors, please report to the shooting range!" he bellowed.

Those of us who had passed the first stage followed him down the street. I forced my gaze to avert from the saloon as I walked, and I felt that twinge from my psychoframe in my processor. But I forced myself to ignore it. I had to.

Even the whispering of little voices weren't going to distract me.

We finally made it to the shooting range behind the saloon.

It was indeed a mix of both state-of-the-art targets and old time bullseyes from the archery range. The modern drones were to be the moving targets, I figured. I gripped my pistols in my hands as the other competitors checked over their own armaments. I spotted Wile E. Coyote looking over his own gun, but something about the backpack on his back seemed to send shivers down my back struts. I dimmed my optics a shade before I checked my own pistols over.

Off to my side Sylvester ejected a Dust round before slamming it home and cocking the gun.

I aimed a pistol and shifted a bit, trying to remember what Wyle Burp had told me.

" _Don't aim with your arm. Aim with your eyes._ "

But something else niggled at me. My mind tried to figure out what it was, but I was brought out of my musings by the call of Cat to assemble for the first level.

I scrambled over to one of the stationary targets and took up my position. I was located close to Sylvester, so at least I had someone familiar close to my spot. Wile on the other hand was just two competitors over. He looked at me and sneered, his mask's lenses glinting in the light of the sun. I returned the favor with a flare of my optics and a middle finger.

He grimaced, but ignored it and went back to his target.

"All right. Each of you will have five shots to make a hit. Your goal is to hit the center of the target. The outer edges are five to fifty points, and the interior is one hundred and fifty points. Any misses will deduct fifteen points. So make sure you hit them accurately!" Cat explained. He swept his gaze over us, and several competitors squared their shoulders. I rolled my neck and flicked my wings a bit before I squared my own shoulders.

"And... begin!"

Each of us raised our guns and began to fire or took our time.

I aimed as best I could and fired my first shot.

The blue energy bullet barely made a hit on the outermost ring, but at least I had a hit.

Sylvester's gun barked and I spotted a grapeshot striking the target. Now that was clever, I mused.

I turned my gaze back to my own target and I fired again.

This time I struck the outermost edge, closer to the target, but not enough. I tried again, and my next two shots got me a total of seventy points. My last shot had to count, or else I was going to be out. I aimed again, my optics locking onto the target. Wyle's words came back to me, and I let myself go. I wasn't sure why I was just letting myself go with the motions, but it seemed right at the time. I wasn't seeing anything else, just the target.

Everyone else became just background noise that I blocked out. And then my finger squeezed the trigger.

I watched as everything seemed to be in slow motion. The blue energy bullet streaked out from the barrel of my pistol, leaving energy entrails behind it as it flew straight for the center of the target.

I shut off my optics, not wanting to see the miss I knew was coming.

Instead, I heard Cat's call to stop. "Level One... completed!" he cried.

A few murmurs whispered into my audios and I hesitantly brought my optics back online.

Sylvester was smirking a bit as he leaned against his shotgun, the barrel aiming skyward. "Well, you sthaid you couldn't get in a hit with thosthe beam pisthols," he remarked.

"Huh?" I looked at the target, and my optics flashed in surprise.

My shot had not only hit the target, but nailed it dead center.

A bullseye.

' _Huh... now I get what he meant by aiming with my eyes,_ ' I mused. ' _Or rather, my optics._ '

* * *

 _He watched as the competitors began to assemble for the next level. His eyes landed on the form of Dracon, his tattered cloak a standout to the rest of them. He knew the Gundam was taking part in the tournament, and frankly he felt a bit jealous. But then again, he had just arrived recently, so there was nothing he could do._

 _Except hope that Dracon won this thing._

 _The sound of something below caught his attention and he snapped his gaze down to see the saloon's back door opening, and a sinister shape oozed out, its meaty body seeming to smell and rot as it sloughed along. His teeth bared themselves as his hand flew for his weapon on his back. A growl worked its way out of his throat as he prepared to make his move._

 _There was no way in hell he was letting a friend of his be attacked by this thing, let alone that damn witch again!_

 _He crouched and leapt off the roof, rolling before he came to a halt behind a barrel and peeped over the top._

 _His body tensed itself as he watched, his blue eyes hardening into icicles as he slowly drew the weapon from its sheath. He grasped one of the Dust canisters on his belt and slipped it inside the hilt before snapping it shut. He looked at the runes inscribed on the blade, a tribute to his friends and fellow Warriors, as well as a reminder of where he was from, a grim look taking residence in his eyes._

 _He snapped his gaze up as he spotted the meat creature oozing to a stop close to the competitors who were now getting ready to take on the moving targets._

 _And then as the monster roared, he leapt into the fray._

* * *

I jerked as I heard something akin to a roar coming from behind me, and I whirled around, my optics flashing in shock at what I saw behind us.

Already some other competitors were beginning to panic, scrambling in all directions and running for their lives as the meat monster lunged for us all.

I reacted swiftly by flipping one of my beam tonfas forward and getting ready to attack the thing as it drew closer. I studied it critically, my optics dimming a shade as I scanned it over. I could see that the monster was not exactly humanoid, as it possessed what appeared to be two wings made of bacon on its back, and it looked more like a humanoid chicken than anything. But it was _huge_ in size, much larger than me at any rate. The creature drew back its head and roared as it charged at the closest cluster of competitors and spectators alike.

I flared my wings and kicked on my flight pack, charging at the creature in response. I flared my optics as I swung my beam tonfa, a cry escaping my vocalizer. My blade barely caught the monster on its meaty chest as it spun around to face me. I sped past it in a flash as it tried to grab me, and I banked back around to counter its next strike. The meat monster drew back its fist and punched, but I barrel rolled to the side in the nick of time. My beam tonfa hummed as I slashed again, this time cutting its left hand off. The smell of burnt meat reached my olfactory sensors, but I blocked it out as I swooped up into the air again.

The meat creature turned to look at me, its... could those holes in its face even be called eyes?... gazing back at me. I shivered from the implications of those holes studying me, and I flared my optics to try and intimidate it.

But the creature wouldn't back down. It roared in response and launched its other fist at me - literally! It was like a rocket on meat, and it only seemed to grow bigger as it came closer to me. I barely dodged it, relying on my smaller, more nimble frame to avoid getting nailed in the gut. I whipped my beam tonfa around and just nicked its arm, causing the hand to fall to the ground. I smirked in my thoughts as I came to a hover.

"Nice try!" I remarked.

The large hole that served as its mouth seemed to curl upwards into a sneer and it thrust both arms out to the side, the dismembered limbs starting to extend out meaty tendrils to pull them back in. A disgusting squelching sound came from the beast as its limbs refused to its body. I grimaced in my thoughts, remembering the last time I had encountered such a creature.

The memory files were as clear as day, but I forced them aside. I could focus on that later. Right now I needed to stay grounded in reality so I could win. Or at least drive the thing off.

I unfolded my second beam tonfa and I flew down, my cloak flapping around my frame as I swung both blades in an X formation, aiming right for the monster's chest.

However, the meat monster seemed to sense my intentions and brought up both arms, something slithering underneath its meaty flesh before two blades of what looked like... carrots?... emerged from its palms and blocked my attack. I was so surprised the beast got the better of me and its thick hand curled around my torso, plucking me out of the air like an insect. I cried out as I was body slammed into the ground, my helm striking a rock and making my processor ache. My vision flooded with static briefly before it faded, leaving me dizzy and out of it.

I didn't even know what was going on as the creature proceeded to stuff its hand on my face, trying to force itself down my nonexistent throat; for once I was _overjoyed_ to have been turned into a Gundam, mostly because I had no need for physical sustenance and I didn't need to eat to regain my energy. But it was stull disturbing nonetheless as I gurgled and groaned, trying to expel air from the vents beneath my faceplate. At the very most, all this thing was doing was suffocating me, or actually cutting off airflow to my intakes so my reactor was starting to overheat.

Readouts popped up in my vision, warning me of temperature increases. I tried to will them away, but I was still too out of it to focus clearly. My wings twitched uselessly as I weakly reached up a hand, trying to grab the beast's arm to remove it from my face. But it wasn't enough. I just didn't have the strength.

I was sure this was it for me.

I dimmed my optics as I prepared to meet my fate.

Only for a loud cry to echo in my audios, snapping me out of my dazed state. I brought my optics back online just in time to see a blaze of fire cut through the air, cleaving the hand suffocating me clean off my face. I gasped loudly, my chest heaving as I took in fresh, dry air from the desert. Although intensely hot and dry, it was like water to me. I took in a few deep breaths, trying desperately to cool down my overheating reactor.

I slowly sat up, my optics landing on the sight of a man clad in a sandy brown cloak, not unlike my own, facing down the meat monster with an intense gaze and determination in his blue eyes. For some reason, I was getting a feeling like I had seen him before... or at least met him someplace. Maybe it was the eyes, or the way he carried himself? Who knew?

I staggered to my feet, rubbing at my faceplate to wipe off any meat that had managed to stick to the white metal.

' _At least I wasn't force fed that stuff..._ ' I thought as I blasted air out from my vents, spitting out a few extra tidbits before I wiped my faceplate clean. I shook my helm to bring myself back to full awareness. And just in time too.

I was shocked to see the cloaked figure land in front of me, hefting a katana inscribed with runes of some kind. A red Dust canister glimmered in the chamber of the sword, and his eyes flickered as he held it in front of him in a swordsman stance. A gust of wind blew as the two stood facing one another. The meat monster growled lowly as the cloaked warrior narrowed his blue eyes. For a brief moment I thought I caught a glimpse of some wild yellow hair, but then it was gone as the warrior moved, his blade flashing as he slashed with his sword, unleashing a second wave of fire right for the beast.

The monster roared as it thrust a meaty fist right for the warrior's attack, but it cleaved the hand in half and the beast recoiled in pain... if that were even _possible_.

The second fist though connected with the warrior's body, sending him flying. He landed on his feet with a grunt, keeping a firm grip on his weapon, which actually looked like a katana melded with a sniper rifle...?

A small niggling surfaced in my processor at that point. The weapon... the eyes, the hair... Was it possible it was...?

The warrior looked up, blue eyes hardening as a hand flew for the hood and removed it, revealing a face I hadn't seen for some time.

The mask with its grey horns was a dead giveaway, but it was the eyes and hair that confirmed who it was for me. His helmet was a bit scuffed and dirty, but overall was intact. His face had a small scar on the left cheek, but that was the only real difference to his appearance. He shot a glance in my direction. "You okay?" he called.

"Hell yeah I am!" I remarked, relief filling my voice as he smirked and gave me the thumbs up.

Yeah. I knew who it was.

Agunimon, also known as the Legendary Warrior of Flame. Not only was he a Legendary Warrior, but he was starting to make a name for himself as a rising Hunter as well. And actually, it was a good thing, too. From what I heard in the grapevine, there were other unusual Hunters making their mark on this world, all of them bearing some kind of nickname and relation to some other elements that were _not_ connected to the Elementals.

Memory files briefly flooded my processor, mostly of when I had first met Agunimon. True I had mistaken him for the Fire Elemental, but as I trained him and learned more about him, it became clear he was _not_ the Elemental in question, but rather had actual control over fire itself. He couldn't create it like the Elemental could, a stark difference, and one I, regrettably, failed to learn until much later on during our training sessions.

I brought myself back to the present by shutting down the recorded files and turned my gaze back to the fight between the meat monster and Agunimon.

By now the Legendary Warrior had forgone his cloak by tossing it off, revealing his armored form as he landed and held his rifle/katana at the ready. I mentally gritted my teeth as I aimed my beam burst gun and swung it into position on my right arm. He shot a glance at me briefly before he lunged for the monster, the Dust chamber on his katana/rifle spinning until it landed on ice Dust. He let out a bellow as he swung it down, unleashing a blazing shockwave of ice that cut through the harsh desert air, freezing the ground beneath it. The shockwave struck the meat monster's left leg, freezing it solid and earning a screech in response. The creature drew back its other hand and slammed it down on the icy leg, shattering it into pieces, only for a _second_ leg to _grow_ from the stump of the first!

My optics actually did widen in shock at that, and I gulped audibly.

"Shit...!" I squeaked.

The meat creature looked at its new leg and stepped on it a few times, testing the weight before it looked at us, that 'mouth' curling into a grin.

Agunimon's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Hey, Dracon! Remember what we did last time?" he asked.

"Yeah, but I dunno if it'll work this time!" I remarked.

"We have to try to take that thing down _somehow_!" he growled.

And the worst part was, he was right. We _did_ need to take it down somehow. But how could we if it could regrow its own limbs?

My optics dimmed a shade as I looked down, wracking my processors for a plan, _anything_ to use, really.

But there was nothing present. At least initially.

My gaze flicked around the shooting range, noticing how some others were watching this fight go down. Well... almost all of them.

One other spectator was not hiding. And it was none other than Wyle Burp. His eyes were hard as his hands drifted for his holsters, and he slowly pulled out a pair of battered, but well-cared-for pistols. He aimed them as he started to limp out into the battlefield.

"What the hell is that guy thinking?!" Agunimon asked. "He's not-"

The Warrior of Flame was cut off by the old Mobian. "I've been doing this for far longer than you, boy!" he barked, almost literally. "So stand back and let me do my job!"

"Hell no!" I snapped. "Not alone!" Already a plan was starting to form in my processors, but I still needed time to refine it. The only issue was that: time. And a whole lot of it.

"Then what'll we do?" Agunimon asked me.

"..." I was hesitant about speaking as I looked around the battlefield. Already some people were watching us with interest, mostly spectators, but some competitors were also observing from further off. The rest were either hiding or had dropped out due to elimination.

But my gaze wasn't locked on them.

Oh, no. It was locked onto the water tower not too far from the saloon.

"I have an idea..."

* * *

Agunimon was rather impressed when I laid it out for him, as was the old dog Mobian. It did, however, require me to be the bait, something I dreaded doing as I had no idea if this thing was able to force itself past my prism beam shield. I had recently deployed it so I wouldn't be swamped by that thing again. (I couldn't believe I didn't think of it before when I first started to fight that beast. I felt like such a fool afterwards.)

Anyway, I started to walk towards the meat monster, my wings flexed open to expose their full width, my fin funnels hovering around my frame in a protective manner, the pinkish glow of my prism beam shield becoming tinted reddish opaque by the sunlight. The beast by now was facing me directly, a challenge, if I ever saw one. My optics flared bright violet as I flexed my hands a few times, feeling the circuits and joints moving as if in anticipation of this. I could feel my reactor humming just the tiniest bit louder in my chest, and I actually shivered a bit.

What was with me? I mean, sure I had dealt with food golems before, but this... it was almost as if this thing was... alive... instead of merely reanimated food. The fact that it was even capable of feeling pain was a sign that something else was amiss here. And to get to the bottom of it, I needed to defeat this thing. One way or another.

The meat monster sneered at me, flexing its meaty, four-fingered hands. It crouched and its bacon wings flared wide open, exposing a more sinister wingspan... or would have, had there not been only strips of bacon in place of bones. Actually, it was quite funny. It reminded me more of a porcupine than a monster. I couldn't help it. I tried to keep back a laugh, but it escaped from my chest in the form of a mocking chuckle. "Okay. That has to be the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen," I remarked.

The monster stopped its own advance as I came to a halt. But the beast seemed to be more... I couldn't even tell _what_ the thing was feeling due to a lack of physical features I was so used to seeing on others. Was the curl of its mouth a mark of displeasure, or was it upset? I had no idea.

The two of us stared one another down. My wings twitched a bit as my left hand reached for one of my pistols. My optics flared a bit and I felt my frame shaking the tiniest bit with excitement.

Wait.

Why _was_ I getting so excited?

This wasn't like me _at all_!

I shook my helm to force the unusual feelings back. I shot a glance down at one of my hands, or rather my forearm and noticed that my psychoframe was shimmering a greenish white color, the energy more... volatile? Was that even possible? And was it doing that this whole time?

If that was the case, then maybe...

I suddenly perked up as I heard something whispering in my audio receptor.

" _Kill... kill... kill...! Kill...!_ "

I shot a glance around left and right, but nothing was present. And yet... it was right there. Right next to me. I could feel something... nudging me... encouraging me... to...

I couldn't think straight. My processor was getting muddled. All I could hear was this voice... it was urging me to _kill_...

My thoughts were getting jumbled up. My mind was going blank. All I could feel was this feeling of... anger... grief, and... and...

 _Hate_.

Hate.

Hate.

That was all I could feel. I didn't see anyone else. Nor could I _hear_ anyone else. My optics pulsed a threatening violet as I rounded on the creature. I wasn't thinking straight anymore. A battle cry escaped my vocalizer as I charged in, not thinking about anything else but killing this beast with my bare servos. I dashed forward, my thrusters roaring in my audios, my right fist drawn back for a punch. I drove my fist home, slugging the meat monster in its left eye hole before pulling my servo out, holding a bunch of meaty flesh in my grasp. I threw it aside and just started to whale on the creature, punching, pounding, kicking... doing whatever I could to literally tear it to shreds.

I had nothing to say aside from a bestial roar as the monster attacked me, slamming a fist of meat into my barrier. But I disregarded the defensive measure and willed my fin funnels to disperse it and assume an attack formation. I landed on my hands and knees, looking more like an animal than a sentient machine, with the way my wings flared wide open. I looked up, my optics pulsing with a feral look in them. I screamed as I lunged again, this time my Dracon fangs coming off my rear skirt armor and attaching to the tops of my hands, taking on the form of actual claws, almost.

I swung one of my 'clawed' servos for the creature's face, driving the beam-tipped blades into its cheek and slashing with all my strength. I watched with primal glee as the creature's left cheek fell off its face, sloughing to the ground below and then trying to draw closer to its host to reassemble. But I didn't let it, as my fin funnels fired at it, scorching it. I landed on my hands and feet, and I began to prowl towards it as the meat monster drew back, mostly in what I assumed to be terror. My reactor purred happily in my chest as I inched closer, my optics glimmering with primal fury.

' _Yes. Fear me..._ ' I thought to myself. ' _Fear the Dragon of Denver!_ '

I didn't even hesitate to lunge again, this time my vocalizer letting out a roar that I wasn't even sure I could make. My Dracon funnels hummed hungrily, and I wasted no time driving two of them into its neck. With a roar of fury, I spun around, the beast's head flying off as I landed behind it, my wings flared menacingly as my fin funnels hovered down around me.

And then I heard it.

" _Kill me... Kill me... Kill me! KILL ME!_ "

I wasn't sure as to what happened next, it was all a blur, or my mind blanked it out. But the next thing I knew I felt this intense pain in my processor before I mentally went dark.

It seemed to be an eternity before I found myself on my back, Agunimon perched on my chest, straining to keep me pinned. My thoughts began to clear and I was surprised at how much energy my psychoframe was putting out. It seemed to be seething with raw power... like an Aura.

"Geez! Settle down, would ya?!" Agunimon growled.

"Ugh..." I groaned.

That was all I could do.

My entire processor felt like it had been scrambled and then stuffed back into my helm. I felt a surge of nausea wash over me before centering on where my stomach would've been had I remained human. It felt like I was going to barf. But since I was a Gundam, I couldn't. It didn't make the feeling any less uncomfortable though. I shuddered and rolled over as Agunimon got off of me, and I dry heaved. Not like I was going to expel anything, anyway.

I dry heaved a few more times before I actually did expel _something_. It wasn't oil like last time, but rather a piece of meat instead. How had _that_ gotten into my intakes?

I looked up at the Warrior of Flame who was looking at me with concern. "You okay?" he asked.

"Y-Yeah... I guess..." I muttered. "I don't feel so good..."

"Well, considering you just went all ballistic on that meat monster, I can safely say that I'm not gonna piss you off," the Digimon remarked.

"What. Happened." I asked.

Agunimon scratched his helmet with a hand before running it through his wild blonde hair. "Well... to be blunt... You gutted the monster, but..." He pointed over my shoulder. I mentally cocked an eyebrow before something shifted behind me.

A loud roar caught my audio receptors and I whirled around, or my head whipped around to look over my shoulder.

"That," was all the Warrior of Flame said.

The creature was no longer a humanoid being, but seemed to now resemble a six-legged beetle, the bacon wings now acting as a hard shell instead. "Shit..." I muttered. This was not good.

Not good at all.

I got to my feet, shaking my head and flexing my wings a few times. I reattached my Dracon funnels to my rear skirt armor and unfolded my beam burst gun for attack. The meat creature was now intent on finishing me off, that was for sure... I thought so, anyway.

Regardless, I had to act and draw the creature towards the water tower so we could freeze it and destroy it. But the bad news was... I had no idea if I would lose it like I did last time. Actually, that kind of freaked me out, to be honest. In all my time as a Gundam, I had never lost control of myself once. Least of all to that degree. And why had my psychoframe been glowing like that?

I shot a glance down at my arm, half expecting it to still be seething with greenish-white energy, but it was no longer putting it out. It just shimmered its usual greenish-white glow.

I forced the thoughts from my mind, however. I could worry about that later. Right now I had a fight to win.

* * *

 _He watched with amusement as Dracon tore into the meat monster like a savage beast._

 _His unique asset, while normally a minor inconvenience, was this time proving to be a source of entertainment, mostly as he was no longer thinking like a civilized being. The way he clawed, screamed and hissed was more animal-like, and he enjoyed seeing it._

 _He tented his fingers as he watched from the upper story of the saloon, and beside him, his other...associate... chanted as she held up her wand, making the monster move like a mere puppet. In truth, that was not the case. She was guiding it, not controlling it like so many of her clan did when using their magic._

 _He could practically hear the screams of the... special ingredient... as the monster fought the Gundam._

 _But his amusement was short-lived as a new warrior entered the fray, tackling the out-of-control mecha and pinning him. He watched as he squirmed and writhed beneath his captor, only for the warrior to slug him upside the helm with a sniper rifle/katana before dropping it and trapping the mecha's arms and legs using his own body._

 _"Hmm... it seems we have an unexpected visitor to the tournament..." he mused as his companion lowered her wand._

 _"Yes. But..." Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "I know of him. He vas one of zose zat thwarted my plans last time!" she growled._

 _"Well, then this is the perfect time for vengeance, I think," he purred._

 _"Oh, I seek it, yes. But not right now. I have much to do before I can consider myself truly ready for such a zing!" she hissed._

 _He rumbled thoughtfully as he leaned forward. "Well, then this will be of utmost value to you..." he remarked with a sly grin._

 _She couldn't help it. A smirk crossed her own face. "Yes... I zink it is time to see vhat zey do to defeat the beast..." she purred lowly._

* * *

By this point we were running out of options.

So far we had managed to lure the beast closer to the water tower, but it seemed that the thing was wising up to our tactics, and I grimaced in my thoughts as I realized we needed a new plan.

Off to my side, Wyle was narrowing his eyes as Agunimon gritted his teeth, baring his fangs. My wings flared a bit, but my optics flashed a cool green color, my psychoframe beginning to shine a bit brighter. We needed to lure it to the water tower so we could beat it.

I dimmed my optics a shade as Wyle spun one of his pistols. "We need to finish this varmint..." he growled.

"I know!" I hissed. "But it's getting wise to our plan."

"Maybe, but not for long!" Agunimon muttered. "I got an idea, but I need you two to cover me!"

"Wait! What are you-" I was cut off as Agunimon broke out into a run, his katana humming with the energy of fire Dust. I grumbled under my breath as I broke into a run, firing my beam pistols a few times to try and get the thing's attention.

And it worked.

The meat creature turned on all six legs to face me, and I gulped.

Now I was screwed.

At least for the moment.

But I was not going to be a sitting duck. No way. Not like I was back in Thorton.

I crouched and flared my wings wide open, kicking on my flight pack and jetting skyward. I had an idea of what Agunimon was trying to plan, so I was just going to trust him on it. I charged in, my optics flashing bright green in my fury. But instead of hitting the beast, I blazed past it, turning around and flicking my middle finger up. "Up yours!" I blurted.

The meat monster roared and scuttled after me, intent on bringing me down as it launched globs of meat at me from its back end. I dodged each one, luring it closer to the water tower. And Wyle was right behind us. His eyes narrowed as his reddish grey Aura flared, and for a brief instant I saw his eyes glow a dim blue before it faded. I cocked a mental eyebrow, but let it slide as I directed my attention back to the meat monster. My sensors blared in my head, letting me know how close I was getting to the water tower.

' _Agunimon better be ready for this..._ ' I thought to myself.

I felt my reactor racing rather rapidly in my chest and I gulped as I came to a hover, right in front of the water tower. My optics dimmed a shade as I cupped both hands around my faceplate. "Hey! Over here!" I yelled.

The beast turned to face me, and with a loud roar, it crouched before leaping right towards me. My optics flashed in shock and terror as I screamed, because although I had expected it to do _something_ , I was _not_ expecting the meat monster to suddenly turn into this shapeless puddle of oozing meat as it flew towards me, intent on gobbling me up.

I did the only thing that popped into my head at that point.

I turned and ran. Well, more like flew, but you get the idea.

I fled as fast as I could, weaving around the tower as my audios faintly picked up a sound that... was that a gunshot? It sounded too far off, but then again, given that I had a psychotic meat monster chasing me down, roaring and growling up a storm, it would sound muffled or something like that. Anyway, I dashed around the water tower as the meat monster drew closer to it and then...

 _BANG!_

A loud explosion tore open the area as the water tower was impacted, not by a standard round from a pistol. Oh, hell no. This was a full-on explosion with a powerful shockwave that shattered the tower. I had _no_ idea as to what could've caused it, and only later on did I learn that Wyle's guns used a rare type of Dust to boost the explosive power of the shells they used. I was caught off guard and sent tumbling through the air before I righted myself and glanced back in time to see the water cascading down onto the meat creature. It landed on the ground, only to get swamped by the water as it tried to reassemble into a more combat-oriented form.

And that was when I saw Agunimon's katana glimmering with ice Dust in its chamber.

A primal roar erupted out of his throat as he leapt off one of the roofs where he had been perched, his blade seething with light blue energy before he slashed it as hard as he could. A blazing blue shockwave raced through the air, striking the water and instantly freezing upon contact. But it didn't stop there. The water began to freeze into ice, the crackling spreading out from the point of impact, turning both the water and the meat monster into a solid popsicle. Or was it a meat-sicle? (I had no idea what to call it, really.)

Regardless, the ice froze both water and monster solid, trapping them in an icy tomb.

And that was my cue.

All it took was a well-placed burst from my beam burst gun and the thing was shattered into pieces.

I hovered down to the ground slowly, panting heavily from the exertions I had put myself through. Well, I wasn't exhausted physically, but emotionally and mentally I was drained. And it was showing in the way my frame shook as I touched down.

"God... That was... exhausting..." I murmured as I collapsed on my butt.

I had no idea that soon things were bound to get even more interesting after this.

* * *

 _His eyes narrowed. "Was that what you hoped to see?" he asked a bit harshly._

 _His companion merely smiled. "It vas just vhat I vas hoping for," she said, a bit too sweetly. "And it has given me new ideas for my next spell..."_

 _He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What kind of spell?"_

 _She merely set her wand off to the side and reached into her clothing, pulling out a rather tattered old book. It was much older than any known text, and written in an ancient dialect that no one else could decipher. Even the Dragon of Denver would find it impossible to properly translate its ancient wording into modern day English._

 _She flipped through the worn pages until she came to the spell she was looking for. "Here ve are." She turned the book to show him, and his eyes glimmered as a sneer crossed his face at the images depicted._

 _"Ah... a perfect spell indeed," he purred. "What effects does it have?"_

 _She smirked. "You vill have to see, I'm afraid," she said as she closed the book. "I do not vish to tip my hand to ze likes of ze Dragon..."_


	31. Arc II - Lost

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Order of the Foodians_

 _An ancient order of monks formed during the Forgotten Age, the Order of the Foodians were an offshoot of a more well-known order that specialized in manipulation of the very plant life around them. They all possessed plant manipulation Semblances, allowing them to excel in numerous fields of plant biology, chemistry, and medicine. These ancient healers were also some of the first to cultivate and grow the now legendary bean that is said to be able to restore Aura and energy in one bite: the mighty senzu bean._

 _The order tends to cultivate and grow the senzu beans by hand, much like their ancestors did during the Forgotten Age, shunning all technology because it's said that anything artificial could disrupt the balance of Aura at the site of their ancient temple. As an ancient and old order of monks, the Order of the Foodians has attained much wisdom in their knowledge, and are usually sought out to try and refine production and farming techniques. Most tend to avoid such questions, but very rarely will they offer sage advice. This advice is almost always followed, with great results that led to the Green Revolution in the 1950s._

 _Each Foodian is capable of masterful plant and organic matter manipulation, resulting in many of them refining their Auras and Semblances to the point of where it undergoes a transformation into actual magic. This kind of magic is considered rare and in some cases, even forbidden. But the order has never used this magic for anything other than cultivation and growing of their own foods and the senzu beans._

 _Close File_

* * *

 _Opening Files: Grimoire of the Foodians_

 _An ancient object from the days of old, the Grimoire of the Foodians is a book of immense magical power. Not much is known about its origins, least of all how it was created. Just that it was around even during the Forgotten Age. Many have come up with theories over how it came into being, with some claiming it was created from black magic, and others saying it was forged from the very earth itself. None of these theories have any real plausibility, but what is consistent is that it has always belonged to the Von Stuffum clan._

 _To further compound the issue, the book is written in an ancient dialect that does not exist in modern times. The words are incredibly hard to decipher, and almost all of the letters are pictograms in one way or another. This means that no one can translate it, least of all figure out what it means. While the Grimoire does have pictures to illustrate the effects of the spells, these are merely a guide to the literal translations. Only the Von Stuffum clan can read this ancient dialect._

 _Close File_

* * *

 _Opening Files: Von Stuffum clan_

 _Out of all the noble houses of the Bavarian Empire, the most notable is House Von Stuffum. Very little is known of their origins, least of all how they came to be part of the imperial court of Bavarian royalty. What is known however is that they are well-known mages of the court, possessing vast skills in magic regarding food. No one is sure how they got this power, but theories and rumors abound._

 _Some argue that this ancient noble house was once a branch of the Order of the Foodians, but were cast out after dark secrets regarding their magic were discovered. These secrets were what led to the Order exonerating them and banishing them to a remote part of the world, where they established themselves amongst the nobility of the time period. After that, things get murky until the Time of Awakening._

 _What is_ definitively _known, however, is that the Bavarian royalty, during the time of the march of the Mad Priest, called upon any noble house to defend their borders from the fighting and House Von Stuffum responded to the call. Using their mystical arts, they were able to summon golems made of pure food, able to animate them and bind them to do their bidding. The golems became one of the foremost lines of defense against the Mad Priest's attacks, as well as the Rodigan royal armed forces. Not only could they supply the Bavarian troops with food, but it was almost impossible to defeat the golems because they could regenerate their lost limbs. In fact, the only way to kill the creatures was to kill the mage casting the spell. As such, House Von Stuffum rose to prominence within the imperial court._

 _Sometime down the line, some of the other nobility became envious of them and started to plot a coup de tat to wipe out the oldest of their own houses. But House Von Stuffum grew wise to the attempted coup, and thus began the Schism of Bavaria. The houses were split, with some defending the Von Stuffums and others rallying against them, calling for democratic reforms and reduced nobility presence. However, the Schism was put down by the Royal Family of Bavaria who sided with the nobility allied with House Von Stuffum. The nobility participating in the coup were executed, but a few escaped abroad, some of them bringing tales of new horrors discovered in House Von Stuffum._

* * *

"Intelligence reports are any military's best friend. But what if some of that information is incorrect? Then you basically have to go with what little you do know, and sometimes it may not always be right," TOM explained as he closed down the three files. "I know I usually only do one file, but this time I felt it was needed to get my point across."

He leaned back and tented his fingers as he gazed out the _Absolution_ 's bridge windows, looking at GrimmFall Earth below. "Like this world here. We're learning so much about it, from all of our great staff. But there are other worlds out there. And sometimes they can hold things we know nothing about." He gestured to a single white legged ship as it vanished in a blaze of light. "Take that ship out there. Where did it come from? What world has such a ship? What is their technology like? What of their culture, government, society? That we know nothing about."

TOM returned his gaze to the camera. "But whatever the world is like, the secrets they hold could be for good or worse in this place. And sometimes those secrets can change things in ways we do not recognize. So decide wisely before choosing to reveal something important." He pressed a button on his left arm rest and gazed at the camera. "Because classified information is always world changing, whether you know it or not."

* * *

 _ **(** The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 _ **(** The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight** ( _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Lost**

* * *

I sat there on the dusty desert ground, feeling exhaustion surging through my systems.

I slowly raised one of my hands, staring in shock at it as it shook.

My mind was filled with all kinds of thoughts, mostly regarding what the hell had happened to me.

What had caused me to lose control of myself?

That hadn't been like me... at all. And actually it really rattled me. I wasn't sure if I was even entirely sane after that.

I shuddered a bit, feeling my armor rattling against my metallic hide.

"Hey, son, you all right?"

The voice of Wyle Burp startled me and I yelped. "Ah!"

I turned to see him standing beside me, concern on his features. "You look like something's bothering you."

I nodded. "Yeah... T-There is..." I stammered.

The old dog frowned as he sat down beside me on the dusty desert sand. "What seems to be the trouble?"

"Well... it's just..." I hesitated, but I just couldn't help it in the end. "I... During that fight... I... I... I don't know _what_ happened, exactly, but... I was overcome with... hatred and rage and... I just... lost it."

"Hmm..." Wyle pursed his lips. "I see. Well, if anything, if that energy you were giving off was any indicator, then something must've been influencing you somehow. Strange things have happened in my time as a Huntsman, and believe you me, the energy of spirits is not to be trifled with."

"Spirits?" I tilted my helm to the side a bit.

"Yep. Spirits. Like those that are said to haunt this place," Wyle muttered. "Spirits of the deceased. And just because I can't see 'em doesn't mean I can't sense 'em." His reddish Aura flared brightly before it dimmed and vanished. "That's the thing about Auras. Sometimes they can let us perceive what's not supposed to be there."

My optics shot down to look at my psychoframe, now shimmering its usual faint greenish-white glow. While the very properties of a psychoframe were still largely unknown, I was able to figure out a bit of how it worked. Unlike a typical Aura, the psychoframe reacted largely to the waves produced by the human brain. And since these waves were able to be registered by sensors, it made for a very potent and powerful offensive and defensive measure in one. But my situation was unique, in that my very mind was transferred into the frame, so I wasn't sure how I was even able to utilize it, actually. But one thing was clear to me, and that was it tended to get overwhelmed with negative feelings, like rage, hate, and grief. And since that meat creature had been practically _dripping_ with those feelings, it was no wonder I went off the deep end.

"But that's just it. I don't have an Aura... unless you consider my psychoframe an artificial Aura," I responded.

He cocked an eyebrow, but said nothing as I finally looked up, my optics landing on the frozen meat monster.

And I jolted upright when I saw it.

A shimmering shape... humanoid in appearance, but more or less... transparent and lacking any real details. I could barely make out the features of a mouse Mobian infant as it floated out of the mess that had once been a torso, but then as quickly as it appeared, it was gone.

I stared for what appeared to be a good hour before Wyle slapped me upside the helm with his hat. "Boy!"

"What?" I shot back.

"What were you staring at, son?" Wyle asked. "You were gazing at that spot for a full minute."

I turned back to the area where I had seen the mouse Mobian's ghost and then rubbed my optics for a second. "Sorry... I just thought I saw something..." I muttered to myself, but Wyle heard it.

"Hm. Well, I think you need some rest. So why don't you get on back to the hotel?" he suggested. "I'll talk to Cat about postponing the rest of the target shooting until tomorrow."

"That would be a relief..." I muttered as I staggered to my feet, feeling exhaustion swamping my frame.

I staggered my way back to the hotel, passing by a shape lying on the porch and not even paying attention to it as I hobbled up the stairs to my room. I barely made it inside before I passed out on the bed, my cloak covering my frame completely like a sheet.

I actually slept soundly through the afternoon and into the evening. No strange visions, no nothing. Just a peaceful, restful recharge. Something I had sorely needed since arriving here some time back. And actually, it helped not just with my energy levels, but also my mood and mental alertness.

So when I finally woke from recharge, my energy levels were full and my mind was surprisingly more alert than before. Plus I felt better, too. And not just physically. But also emotionally and mentally. I got off the bed and stretched my frame, snapping my wings wide open and feeling the joints in them popping. It felt so good to do the motion, even though I really didn't need it, to be honest. But regardless, it did make me feel a lot better, at least.

And maybe now I could try and find out a bit more about my... ahem... unexpected guest.

I exited the hotel to find my furry companion standing outside the hotel, watching the sun setting as the wind gently teased his blue and white fur. It seemed to him that he wasn't having a good evening, as he looked a bit upset about something. I was tempted to ask, but I wisely kept my vocalizer muted.

He closed his golden eyes as a sigh escaped him. I wasn't about to risk asking him what was wrong, so I decided to take a different approach. I slowly made my way over to see him.

My footsteps must've reached his hearing because he turned to face me, only to have his eyes widen in mild confusion at my appearance, mostly because I had my cloak's hood down. I couldn't help but laugh a bit at his expression, it reminded me too much of a deer caught in headlights.

"So, not used to seeing my true form for the first time?" I asked with a chuckle. "No one is, so you're not the only one."

He just gave a grunt in return. I tilted my helm to the side. "You're not going to ask what I am?"

That made him perk up as he looked back, his golden eyes lingering on my face before he sighed. "Not really since I'm not that curious, but I guess I should know anyway."

I smirked a bit in my violet optics, well...if it could be called that anyway. "You're right you should," I teased as the wolf-like form glared back at me in apparent irritation. Then, I sighed. "I am what is called a Gundam, or a very powerful being that is entirely mechanical."

He raised an eyebrow at the explanation, but didn't press it. Not that he cared anyway. I noticed the seeming indifference and flashed my optics in a blink. "Wow...I don't think anyone has ever remained so indifferent to my appearance before," I drawled.

He was surprised alright, surprised that the human race had advanced far enough to develop such a being like myself, and without going through the genetic engineering that had created him and his kin from before the end of his society. If I was guessing right, that is. I wasn't entirely sure, to be honest. "Then it pleases me to be the first," he said with a bit of a smirk.

I just sighed at his comment. "Geez...talk about arrogant..." I muttered as his golden eyes flashed with anger.

"What was that?!" he hissed as I shot a glance back at him.

"And prideful too? Wow, now that's a bad combination if I ever saw one," I snorted. His eyes flashed as he lunged for me, but I reacted swiftly. His golden eyes went wide as I backhanded him, sending him rolling on the ground. He came to a stop and tried to stagger to his feet, but his legs just wouldn't support him, keeping him firmly on the ground. "See? A bad combination," I said, as if scolding him. He lay there panting as he opened one of his golden eyes slightly. "I don't want to hurt you because you're still badly hurt. But if you attack me, I _will_ fight back."

He seemed to get the idea, and ceased his attacks on me. Like he could really harm me in his current condition, and given my frame. I was actually impressed with the lack of lashing out. "So one _can_ teach an old dog new tricks," I teased, which only served to make him angrier.

Instead, he just looked away with a growl. I was more than pleased at the response. "Good to see you are not lashing out," I praised.

"Shut up..." he grumbled, making me laugh again.

I rolled my optics as I finally made my way over to the side of the porch and sat down.

"So, I never got your name," I remarked, catching him off guard. My optics flicked over to the wolf. "Or do you not have one? Because I can't just call you Wolf, now can I?"

His eyes flashed as his fur bristled. A low growl escaped him and I backed away just the tiniest bit, mostly out of wariness as I had no idea of what this creature was capable of.

He finally sighed. "I do have a name. Unlike you, no doubt," he retorted.

My wings twitched beneath my cloak as he said this. "What?! Are you saying I don't have a name?!" I blurted. "I have a name myself, you know!"

"Yeah? Then what do you call yourself?" the wolf asked with a sneer.

I was so tempted to punch his lights out, believe me. But I wasn't about to let myself do so, not since he was injured and I didn't want him to get a bad opinion of me anymore than he already had. My optics flared a bright violet as I gazed at him. "My name is Dracon. And no, it doesn't stand for anything," I replied, cutting off his attempted question. The wolf snorted.

"Sure it doesn't," he remarked sarcastically.

"Now, what's your name?" I asked.

My companion looked at me before he sighed. "Fine. My name is Tiger... Tiger of the Wind is my full title," he said at last.

I mentally arched an eyebrow. "Tiger of the Wind?" I scanned him over. "You don't look like that title fits you."

Tiger snorted and rolled his eyes. "Maybe because I was sealed away for so long!" he shot back.

I sighed and rubbed my faceplate with one of my hands. "Great... a wolf with an ego..." I muttered to myself.

Tiger couldn't help but smirk.

I grumbled under my breath for a moment before I looked at him. His smirk faded as he scanned me over critically. I wondered why he was studying me so intently, and his amber eyes locked onto my optics briefly. For a moment it felt like he was staring into my soul, but then it passed and he sighed. "Okay. What year is it?"

I cocked my helm. "What? Why would you wanna know that?" I asked.

"Probably because I've been sealed away for who knows how long?" Tiger growled.

I sighed. "Well, that is a good point," I remarked. "Fine. For your information, the year is 201X, so..."

Tiger's eyes widened briefly. "What?! You mean to tell me... humanity was knocked back into the Dark Ages?!" he blurted.

"Huh? No! It's 201X AD!" I tried to correct him. "It's short for Anno Domini!"

"The year I remember was 2985 CE!" he snarled. "Short for _Connected Era!_ "

Now that threw me for a loop. "Hold on. Connected Era? What's that?"

"It's the name for when the world was connected in a common goal: to exterminate the Horde," Tiger hissed. "Or at least from what I can recall."

I turned my gaze back to the ground beneath my metal feet. "Connected... Era..." I muttered the name softly to myself. I was surprised at that. There had been an era of time before the AD Era during the Forgotten Age? If so, then... how long ago had he been around? "That..." I finally looked at him. "You were around during the Forgotten Age?"

Now it was _Tiger's_ turn to be confused. He tilted his head to the side, looking more like a curious canine than an intelligent being. "Forgotten Age?"

"Yeah. The era before the Time of Awakening," I explained.

"Time of Awakening?" He was curious, I had to admit, but then again, given how he had been sealed away for a long time, it made sense he wouldn't know of the Time of Awakening. So I summarized it quickly for him.

The wolf's eyes widened in shock when I finished. And actually, he was more curious than I had anticipated. But unfortunately, I was not an encyclopedia of information, so I couldn't give a lot of information out. What I did tell him though was enough to get him thinking himself, and so I decided to let him think and come to his own conclusions based on what I had said.

I needed to get some thinking of my own done. Primarily centering on the experience I had gone through, as well as the ghost I had seen... if it was even real.

I wandered through the town, passing by the saloon, and at once a shudder raced down my back struts, making me shiver against my will. My wings twitched and I had to tear my gaze away from the building. But for some reason, I just couldn't. I was getting a strange feeling, like someone was calling to me. I nervously gulped as I swung my beam burst gun forward. Normally I would've refrained from using it, but given the circumstances as of late, I felt a lot better with some heavy firepower on my side. So after I armed it and had it ready, I crept forward towards the old building.

I scanned all around me with my sensors and radar, using my peripheral vision to keep an eye on things as well.

But nothing was present, from what I could see.

The very sensation of being watched though never left my mind, and nor did the feeling like someone was calling to me.

Then I heard it.

" _Help..._ "

I stopped.

I stood absolutely still, my psychoframe starting to tingle slightly.

"Who's there?" I called. "Show yourself!"

I was at this point halfway between the hotel and the saloon. No one else was out and about, as it was now close to 2300 hours at night. Everyone else was sleeping, save for me...

And an uninvited guest.

My psychoframe sent a twinge directly into my processor and I whirled around, coming face to face with a small, infant Mobian girl, mouse breed. Surprisingly, she looked rather... whole. No rotting flesh, no dead eyes staring back at me vacantly, no tattered clothing or messy hair, no missing body parts. She was utterly whole and complete, except for the transparency and the soft, subtle glow around her tiny frame. Her eyes were filled with tears as she floated over to me. " _Help..._ "

"W...Who... What...?" I was stunned by this.

" _Help me..._ " Her voice echoed in the depths of my processor, sounding very spectral and yet alive at the same time. It didn't hold a wavering like most ghosts were reported to have, but it had a slight echo to it instead. That... was different.

"Help... you?" I squeaked. "Help you... how?"

The little girl drifted closer to me, coming to a stop. " _Help me..._ "

"How? How can I help you?" I asked. "What do you want me to do?"

She merely floated there before she raised a hand and gestured to the saloon. I turned to look at it, a feeling of dread racing through my frame and making my psychoframe hum with it. "Wait. You want me to go in there?"

The girl lowered her hand and began to float closer to the saloon, passing right through me. I gasped and shuddered from the feeling of intense cold as it raced throughout my frame and systems. Then just as quickly as it appeared, the feeling vanished. I shook my helm to dispel the strange feeling and followed after the little girl.

I was starting to regret even following her, as the saloon had a few bad memories for me. Mostly of the strange visions and that ghost child I had seen in the wall. But I ignored it and pressed on. Well, as best as I could, anyway. My armor plating rattled against my metallic hide as I approached the saloon behind her. She finally came to a stop at the doors and turned to face me.

" _Here... Find me... here..._ " Her words were cryptic and vague, something I hadn't encountered save for only once before. I tilted my head to the side a bit before she floated up and through the doors, beckoning for me to follow.

Swallowing a lump in my throat, I hefted my right arm's beam burst gun and followed her inside, slowly pushing open the door with my left hand. I poked my head in and switched to night vision, letting me see in different shades of green. I had to admit it was very creepy at night, especially given how there was a little ghost girl trying to urge me to follow her into the kitchen of this place.

I gulped audibly at the thought of entering that place again.

But she wasn't about to let me go. I could somehow get the feeling like she was bound to stop me somehow, but I wasn't sure as to the method she'd use. So I decided to just take a chance and see what she had to show me.

I made my way over to the kitchen door, my beam burst gun held at the ready.

She floated through the doorway, beckoning me still with her hand.

I wasn't about to take any chances this time around. So I aimed my beam burst gun at the door and kicked it open with one of my metallic feet.

I crept into the kitchen, and at once I got a feeling of intense dread and fear. My psychoframe was beginning to ache because of it, a numbing resonance that made me want to puke. I groaned to myself as I swayed on my feet, only to see the little ghost girl hovering closer to me, worry crossing her transparent features. She extended a hand and laid it upon my cheek, and at once I felt a sense of relief and lightheadedness wash over me. The numbing pain faded and I felt a lot better.

"Thanks..." I whispered in shock.

She merely smiled before she floated back and gestured to one of the tables in the kitchen.

Caution overcame me as I slowly inched closer to it. It looked harmless enough, but the feeling I was getting from it was anything _but_ harmless. I looked at the ghost girl in worry before she gestured again. " _See_..." she whispered.

I hesitantly reached a hand out, stopping just inches from it for a brief instant before I made contact.

And my psychoframe lit up bright green-white in response. My optics flashed and I gasped as I found myself overcome with visions again, but this time they were more... controlled. Had the girl done something to make it more manageable?

I saw images, brief images flashing through my processor. I could see small bodies huddling in cages... a young girl - the very same one now with me - whining as she was yanked from the cage... Her eyes wide and I sensed her terror, her fear as it emitted from her small body. I felt a pang of sympathy and grief gnawing at my reactor, but it then spiraled into red hot rage as I saw a hand holding a knife just inches above her little heart.

Then the pain came. I was nearly knocked to my knees because of it. In fact, it was only due to sheer willpower I was able to remain standing. But that knife...

That knife was so familiar to me.

And I was getting a bad feeling as to whom was behind the murders of these innocent children.

But I still needed more evidence.

Just as quickly as the vision came, it vanished. I was standing beside the girl's murder site, and her eyes were filled with tears and regret as she hovered back, gesturing once more, but this time to the stove.

And that was not something I was willing to touch just yet.

I started to back away from the stove, leaving the little girl to look at me with pleading eyes. " _No..._ " she whispered. " _Help..._ "

"I'm sorry," I said softly. "I... I can't... Not right now... I'm sorry..."

With that, I turned and ran out of that...that murder house. I wasn't about to stay any longer than necessary, nor was I about to risk losing control again.

I made it back to the hotel around midnight, and promptly fell into recharge in my room. I needed all the rest I could get for tomorrow. Although I doubted it would be that easy...

* * *

 _Her eyes narrowed as she watched the Gundam retreat back to the hotel. She didn't like the fact he was nosing around in her kitchen._

 _The first thing she had to do was try and make sure that he didn't even set foot in there again._

 _Oh, she knew of the ghosts. They were everywhere. She could sense them, and their feelings towards her. Her magic was that refined, to be able to sense the deceased. And it seemed he could, as well._

 _An artificial being capable of sensing the deceased... it was truly a modern marvel in many ways. But he was not entirely artificial. She could see that. The hatred spilling from her food creation had caused his primal instincts to awaken, primal instincts only found in human beings. A smile crossed her features as she pondered what spell to use next. Sure she could turn him into a mere animal by infusing the souls of many of the deceased into her next creation, but she felt it was a bit... unfair to him. He deserved more of a sporting chance..._

 _A chance that could no doubt lead him to his doom._

 _She pondered a few more spells before she nodded._

 _Yes... she had the perfect spell in mind..._

* * *

The next morning I came out of recharge to the sight of the sun shining in through the curtains.

I threw the covers back and got out of bed, flaring my wings wide open. "Man...! That was a night!" I muttered.

I folded my wings against my back and turned to make my way over to the dresser to don my getup, only to pause. Maybe I really didn't need it now, given how everyone knew the Dragon of Denver was in town. However, I didn't want to disregard the outfit completely, and finally settled on a compromise of at least wearing the hat and spurs. The boot covers went, but that was it.

I threw my cloak on around my frame and finally exited my room, only to nearly bump into Agunimon.

The blonde warrior yelped as I backpedaled frantically. "Whoa!" I blurted.

"Sorry," Agunimon muttered sheepishly. "I wasn't sure if you were up yet, so..."

"Well, I'm up," I remarked as I adjusted my cloak. "So don't worry about it."

He nodded. "Right. So... I heard the sharpshooting event was extended to today?"

I looked at him and nodded. "Yeah. At least I hope so."

The two of us made our way out of the hotel, where I saw my... ahem... furry companion sleeping in a ball on the porch. Agunimon cocked an eyebrow beneath his mask, if the way he looked at me in confusion was any indication, and I just shrugged. "Found him in the desert and helped him out." Which was true, of course... to an extent, anyway.

He merely shook his head and exited. "I gotta get back to the main resort," he said. "I'm staying there, but once the event starts I'll be back here." He grinned at me and gave me a thumbs up.

"Right." I nodded.

As soon as he ran off in the direction of the main resort, my optics drifted over to the saloon and I shuddered.

Maybe now was as good a time as any to try and see if there was something else afoot.

I decided to check out the saloon again. Since it was daytime, it was less of a creepy place, and it didn't seem as menacing or imposing, despite the amount of death that took place there. I squared my shoulders and adjusted my cloak as I began to head on over there.

Truthfully, some part of me was urging me to just ignore the mission and go back to Denver. But the rest of me was burning with several unanswered questions: Where was Yasha? Was she still alive? What were their plans for her? Who was behind all of this? What happened to the 'disappeared' Mobian children? And who was hunting them?

I needed answers to those questions. And it seemed like the saloon was the perfect place to get those answers. But first I had to make sure that damn cook wasn't around. The food golem I had fought yesterday was a key indicator that maybe the Food Witch was in the area, as I had fought something similar some weeks back. But...

My thoughts were interrupted as I heard the sounds of laughter and joy coming from inside.

At once a shudder raced down my back struts. ' _There's no way there should be any joy in this place.._ ' I mused. ' _Given what's been happening here..._ '

But I forced it aside and threw open the doors.

The place was busy as always, with the lights on and the patrons chatting and having a good time. I did spot the Mousekewitz family off to the side and they waved. I returned it and made my way over to see them. I sat down beside them as the cat waitress came over to see us. Kitty looked at me with a smirk.

"Well, I saw your performance so far. I'm impressed," she purred.

"I'm just doing my best," I told her. "Nothing more. How can that be impressive?"

Kitty threw her head back and laughed a bit. "Humble, too! Now I know why many respect you!" she declared. She finally looked at me and winked. "Hey, keep up the good work, kid." Then she became serious as she leaned in and handed Tanya a note. "Better be careful, since you-know-who is watching..." She did a discreet motion with her hand and I looked in that direction, my optics flaring briefly in shock as I stared at Wile E. Coyote, his mask's eyes glinting as he smirked and held up a glass of fine wine... wine that looked eerily similar to blood.

I flashed my optics as rage began to build within me, but I squashed it. However, I did do a discreet analysis of the liquid. It wasn't very accurate, but it was accurate enough to detect it _was_ blood... heavily flavored to taste like wine, I might add.

My hands clenched into fists beneath the table and I felt the urge to punch his sneering nose in. But I ignored it and remained seated. I didn't want to give away the fact that I was getting closer to the bottom of this.

Especially now.

I looked back at the four mice Mobians, each of them with a worried expression on their faces.

Ruskov was the first to ask. "Have you found anything relating to our little Yasha?" he asked softly.

"Unfortunately not right not," I muttered in a low tone. "But I am working on it. Rest assured on that."

Anzhelina looked worried, as if she would faint on the spot. But a firm hand from her husband steadied her and she let out a breath before she looked into my optics. "Please... you have to find her..."

"And I will," I assured her. I placed my hand on hers, and she looked down at it. I guess she was surprised at how big my hands were compared to hers.

She finally looked up. "Just... I don't want to lose her... like I lost my brother..."

I felt a twinge of sympathy in my reactor and I nodded. "I understand. And I will do everything I can. I _am_ doing everything I can. So just be patient a while longer."

The Russian nodded as she sat back, tears pricking at her eyes. I reached for a napkin and held it up to her. Ruskov was surprised at the gesture, but I shot him a look and gave a small shrug. "What? My folks raised me right."

The Russian man took the napkin from me and started to pat his wife's eyes as Tanya looked at me. "So, can you tell us what you've found so far?" she asked.

"Just that there's more going on here than missing children..." I muttered darkly.

She cocked an eyebrow and Fievel took on a greenish tinge as he looked at his plate of food. I couldn't blame him, since I was getting a sickening feeling in my own gut at what they were eating. I finally stood up. "I'm gonna go do some more poking around," I said. "Just... try not to eat much meat from here on out."

That was the only thing to give them a hint before I left.

I was really going to regret what I was about to do, I knew that much. I made my way over to the kitchen and stopped, pausing as I listened for any sign of a humming voice or song. My audios didn't detect anything of that nature, and nor did my radar pick up any indication I was in the company of anyone. I was alone, and that was all I needed to know.

Aside from the spirits of the dead, of course.

I pushed the door open and stepped into the room, this time with a bit more confidence; mostly due to the fact it was daytime and not night. I could see a few windows were open to expose the sunlight, which was something that caught my eye. I hadn't even noticed them before. Maybe because they had been covered by pots and pans?

Speaking of the pots and pans, they were scattered around the place, as if waiting for someone to use them.

And I was getting a feeling like there were stories to be told from them.

I made my way to the stove and hesitated, but then my optics landed on a soup pot and I reached out a hand to brush its metal with my fingertips.

I felt an intense feeling of grief and misery from that pot. As soon as my fingers made contact with it, a flash of light erupted in my vision and I found myself staring at a pair of twins, not much older than two, staring in shock as two meaty hands cut up an onion before reaching for one of the children and pulling him away from his crying brother. Then came the muttering of an ancient tongue I had heard once before, sending shivers down my back struts.

The boy cried out as he writhed and twisted, finally expiring in her grasp. Then came the knife. I by now knew what to expect as I wrenched my hand away from the pot. The vision faded, and I was still surprised at how much control I had over it. My psychoframe was humming, but it wasn't going out of control like it had when I first set foot in this place.

I looked around the kitchen, my optics landing on a large butcher knife. I hesitated, and then picked it up.

A second flash of light and then my optics widened as I stared in shock at a child with her head cut off, innards being removed and then her arms being lopped off- It was just too much. I pulled my hand back with a gasp and I dropped the knife, my mind filled nothing but despair and fear before it faded. "Holy... hell...!" I rasped.

This place was indeed a murder house. A lot more of one than I realized.

I nudged the knife with a foot, but nothing happened. I knelt and, after wrapping my hand in my cloak, I picked it up and put it back on the table. Now I was curious as to who was behind this.

But when I looked around again, my optics landed on a very familiar book as it sat amidst the other cookbooks on a shelf. A chill raced down my back struts. I knew that book.

I had _seen_ it once before, as well as fought the owner. I slowly inched closer, my hand just inches from it. I wasn't sure what would happen if I touched it, but I did so anyway.

And then I saw her.

The one behind it all.

Her face... Her hat, her wands, her robes...

Her presence was everywhere in this kitchen. All these pots and pans... used for making her 'delicacies'... to no doubt serve to unsuspecting guests and tourists. If anyone were to find out, I realized, they'd be scarred for life. Maybe even traumatized. I pulled my hand back from the spell book and finally looked at the stove.

I squared my shoulders and wandered over to it.

I reached out a hand...

And as soon as I touched it, a third flash of light and I was staring at the woman up close, as if I were not present, but a part of the very room. I realized I was seeing things from the stove's point of view, if that were even possible, but then I shook my helm. I was still present, but I was standing behind the stove, transparent as a ghost, as it usually happened in these memories.

I watched as the woman whom I had first met proceeded to insert a stuffed roast into the oven, and with a shock I realized that that roast had once been a mouse Mobian boy. I could still see the tail, and the tattered bits of clothing clinging to what had once been arms and legs.

I pulled my hand away from the stove, shock and horror surging through my systems.

Now...

Now I knew who it was.

That cook...

"Grandma Stuffum...!" I growled, my voice sounding more draconic than human at that point.

My wings flared as I turned and bolted from the room.

Now that I knew who was behind it, I had to find Yasha.

And fast.


	32. Arc II - Salvo

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Shinkansen_

 _The_ Shinkansen _, or as it more commonly known in English as the 'bullet train' due to the shape of the engine cars, is one of the fastest, and_ the _safest, trains in the world, and has made a serious mark on how travel is conducted in not just Japan, but other countries around the world._

 _And not just for travel, either._

 _Following the aftermath of World War II and the onset of the Cold War, Japan needed a new means of rail transportation to replace their old and rather outdated conventional wheel trains. The bullet train proposition was initially drafted before the war, but the fighting and subsequent devastation of Japan wrought the whole project with failure and it was shelved until the end of the war. With backing by several significant individuals in the 1950s and early sixties, the project was soon underway, boosting Japan's rail capacity and bringing forth a whole new change in how the Japanese people did their business and lifestyle._

 _Expansion of the rail network also prompted research into Dust-powered trains, which boomed immensely under the Sanban Industries' leadership. Their advanced technology and Dust research led to the creation of the first Dust-powered_ Shinkansen _, known as the D-000. This bullet train proved itself in not just the clean power it provided, but also the fact that it was capable of higher speeds than most other conventional bullet trains at the time. By the time the 1980s came about, Dust-powered trains were becoming more and more common, although some say that this is because Sanban Industries has such a foothold in the Dust technologies market._

 _The bullet train has also been exported to other advanced countries, including the United States, Britain, Australia, and Canada, with different models being given to select cities for trial runs, such as Denver._

 _Economically, Dust-powered_ Shinkansen _have proven to be more profitable, as they don't need conventional fuel which is somewhat expensive. Some trains have been turned into hybrids in an attempt to maintain some relationship with the Middle Eastern oil countries, but most have gone over to Dust or electricity, which is becoming more common itself. This means that most trains are capable of running on either one, leading to greater flexibility in power should Japan lose significant amounts of its electrical grid._

 _The high speed of the trains has also led some to proposing a risky, daring, and audacious - as well as insane some claim - plan to build a_ Shinkansen _line through the Darklands of America. This has been shot down by numerous Huntsmen, including Phil Ken Sebben of GrimmFall, with opponents insisting that despite the speed of the train, the Grimm's numbers would be more than enough to overwhelm any bullet train passing through. Some even insist that Sammael would catch on and likely mount an attack on any trains that ran through his domain._

 _Proponents of the plan insist it would help them map the Darklands, as well as try and get an idea of any terrain that could be reclaimed from the Fallen. They also insist that if the trains were armed, it would give the passengers and crew a chance to get through alive._

 _Currently a research team is conducting simulations into whether this would even be feasible given the technology at hand._

 _Close Files_

* * *

"High speed transit is a common staple in many good science fiction series and stories. But in some dimensions, it's become reality," TOM explained as he closed down the _Shinkansen_ file. "Take GrimmFall for instance. It has a highly efficient railroad system, but no high speed transports. Denver on the other hand, has this kind of transportation. And Japan, in many realities, has pioneered this advanced technology, with some deciding to take it further and faster."

He brought up an image of the Denver Bullet-C as it sped through the Wildlands. "This train is only one of a select group developed and financed by Denver and the Governor of Colorado. Some other cities, such as London, have also crafted a variant. And rail transport is just the beginning." He closed down the image and looked at the cameras. "Like my ship. It has warp travel, and that legged ship has dimensional travel capabilities. So the limits are only your mind and your creative side. So if you develop a new type of transportation vehicle, will you make it safe, or will it be both safe and fast?"

TOM pressed the button on his left arm rest and leaned back. "You never can learn if you don't take risks now, do you?"

* * *

 _ **(** The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 _ **(** The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight** ( _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Salvo**

* * *

I was out of that kitchen in a flash.

Rage pulsed within my chest, making my reactor hum louder as I ran from the saloon.

I really needed to try and find Yasha now.

But the only issue was where she could be.

And whether or not she was even still alive at this point.

I was so busy fuming I had no idea where I was going until I collided hard with someone. I grunted as I landed on my aft, the other person landing on their own butt. The sound of the voice was very familiar, and I lifted my gaze to come face-to-face with none other than my old friend, Nick Mallory.

Actually, I was surprised to see him _here_ to begin with.

"Nick?!" I blurted, my optics flashing in shock.

He slowly lifted a hand and rubbed his head. "Hey, Dracon," he joked. "Didn't expect to see you here all dressed up."

"Forget that!" I remarked as I got to my feet and held out my hand. "What are _you_ doing here?!"

"Same as you. Vacation," he said as he took my hand. I pulled him to his own feet. "Isn't that why you're here?"

"Hardly!" I spat. My wings arched themselves as I flared my optics. "Far from it."

Nick cocked his head as I proceeded to explain - rather condensed, mind you - the entire situation and what I was really doing there. The whole time, Nick was in shock and horror, his horror turning to outright fury when I told him what I found and learned. His teeth bared themselves as he clenched his fists. "Man..." he growled. "I've seen some ruthless rogues, but this..." He grimaced. "That is just sick!"

"Tell me about it," I retorted. "And knowing who I'm up against, I'm gonna need all the help I can get."

Nick's eyes hardened as he looked me in the optics directly. I had to admit, that was one of the reasons I trusted him: he wasn't afraid of facing down bigger opponents when forced to fight. "Joseph, listen. The Food Witch... she is more than just a rogue. She is one of the old Foodian Order... an offshoot, more precisely."

I jerked a bit in shock at those words.

"W...Wait... _The_ Order of the Foodians?!" I blurted. "As in the ones who ushered in the Green Revolution for agriculture?!"

Nick nodded. "The very same. Except... the faction she's a part of is not an actual part of it... They are the ones who were cast out due to needing to sacrifice the blood of innocents to power up their dark magic." His eyes turned stone cold as he looked at me directly. "And that is why the Order cast them out, banished them to a remote part of the globe. But they thrived, lived, and endured through the Forgotten Age's end... becoming part of the Bavarian nobility within the Bavarian Empire."

I was surprised by this. I hadn't even known about the connection to the Bavarian nobility, but... to hear she was part of it...?

Now this was something that required further investigation.

But it could wait until after the target shooting.

I still had to win that, first.

The next few hours were a blur, with me practicing my shooting on a pair of rocks just a short distance away from the resort. My aim had improved considerably, but I still wasn't sure if I should rely solely on the pistols. Ever since I saw Wile slinking around with that grey backpack, I was hesitant at using my fin funnels. But something just told me to ignore the rules and go with what I knew would work.

I also didn't want to get kicked out of the tourney, though. But what choice did I have? My fin funnels were my best bet to hit any moving targets, and my beam burst gun was just way too powerful.

This was something I wasn't too keen on doing, but I had no option left.

I did a bit of investigating as well, mostly to try and find out more about Grandma Stuffum and her connection to the Foodian order. Which unfortunately was a dead end. There was nothing relating to her in the community, let alone in the library, which was in reality just a dump filled with old books.

I sighed as I left the building.

The announcement came half an hour later, but I tuned it out. I already knew what was coming.

The whole speech about the target shooting and yadda yadda yadda. I already knew what to do. But this time, I was forgoing the rules for ease and efficiency.

Especially as I needed to be prepared for the fight with Grandma Stuffum I knew would come.

The next stage was set to take place outside the saloon in back, again, like the first was. Only this time there were more targets as most of them were moving drones. That was an unexpected twist for most of the Hunters involved. Hell, even Amy was groaning about it. Still, we proceeded to line up anyway. This time I stood between Amy and Sylvester. I twitched my wings as my hands flexed close to my beam pistols.

Cat R. Waul was standing beside the podium, and he held in his hands a small pistol. He had a weird smirk on his face as he aimed his pistol skyward and fired it. "Let the second level... begin!"

The rest of the competitors aimed their guns as I flared my wings and launched my fin funnels, startling Cat. His eyes bugged and I swore if they got any bigger they'd be like dinner plates. I held in a chuckle as the drones began to hover off the ground and dart around, making it harder for the rest to hit them. However, I was not going to let them get out of my sight.

I commanded my funnels to fire at the closest targets, blowing up three of them and coring two more. I kept my fin funnels deployed, but I didn't use them unless a target came close to me. I was sure I would get fired for this, but I needed to get ahead for the final event. This one didn't last as long, and by the time the third level came around I was well in the lead by a hundred forty points. Only Wile E. Coyote was ahead of me, and I wasn't even sure how he was able to hit his targets as well as he did. I frowned to myself in my thoughts as the last of the targets was destroyed.

The third level was a lot shorter as there weren't many competitors left. Amy had dropped out due to being unable to rack up enough points to move on, and Sylvester only scored a grapeshot hit by pure luck that kept him in the top ten. The second level came to an end and soon we were finished.

It was finally down to me, Wile, Sylvester, and a few others.

And the next event was scheduled to take place three days from now.

I wasn't sure if I could win this, but... I had to try.

That evening saw me sitting in the hotel room, but I was not keen on sticking around. Some small part of me wished to move into the resort complex not too far off, but I knew I had to remain here lest Cat get suspicious.

And that was the last thing I needed.

But then again, with my reckless decision to use my fin funnels, I was sure to get kicked out. Or so I had feared. (I was actually surprised when Cat said I could stay, as bit weapons did fall under the category of projectile weapons, so I was clear in that regard.)

I was sitting at the desk, with pieces of paper scattered around me, the quill pen in one of my hands as I scratched out notes on everything I had learned thus far. Some bits of paper had information on the missing children, some were littered with the visions and images I had seen, and one even described my... rampage... so to speak. But some of it was also pertaining to the ruins and the Forgotten Age.

The reason I was taking these notes?

So I could remember what happened when I deleted all the images from my memory banks.

That was the one thing I had vowed to do once this adventure was over.

Anyway, I had all these bits of paper littering around me and I was in the middle of writing down my theory on what Grandma Stuffum was up to here, as well as other aspects.

But one thing still remained unclear: what was Wile's role in this? And did it have to do with the Fallen?

In truth, the answer was about to strike later that night. But I had no idea it was going to be as brutal as it was...

* * *

 _The massive shape sneered as he reached out a hand, grasping a stone and crushing it in his fingers._

 _Yes..._

 _He was sure of it. He knew_ he _was here. He could sense his presence._

 _But there was also another one... one much more powerful, yet subdued. He ignored it though, keeping his senses locked onto the one presence he knew all too well._

 _That of his former_ teammate _._

 _His teeth bared themselves as they gritted and his eye flashed a bright red, the sinewy veins across his bulging arms seeming to pulse with his fury and rage. He drew back a hand and drove it into the ground, leaving a crater behind._

 _He savored this power. Actually, he loved it. He was addicted to it. And it was just the kind of power he needed to crush his old teammate once and for all, especially as he had killed everyone on the base. His old ally... now turned a traitor. And he was going to avenge his dear friend, no matter what it took._

 _He looked at the hand he had crushed the stone with and flexed the fingers. He could feel the way the muscles moved, and he slowly turned it over so he was staring at the back of it. The thick muscle moved his fingers at his mental commands, and he studied the powerful joints. Prior to his... deal... with the Fallen, he had envied the others for possessing real limbs. But now... now he had them for himself and he enjoyed it. The sheer power that surged through him only made him embrace the changes done to his very being. He let out a small sigh as he clenched his massive hand into a fist. "Holly... I will make sure he pays for his treachery to the Alliance..." he muttered in a gravely tone of voice. "And I_ **will** _avenge you... I promise..."_

 _He stood up, his ten foot four form towering over everyone._

 _Suezo was ready for action._

 _And anyone who stopped him... would be ripped to shreds._

* * *

I was soundly in recharge by that point.

So when the explosion happened, I was startled right out of recharge.

My optics flared online as I sat up, panting from the sudden shock. I looked around the room, but everything was normal... or as normal as it could be, given the situation. But the light flickering outside the window was _far_ from normal.

That got my attention and I scrambled out of bed, grabbing my cloak and pistols, slipping on the spurs and hat before I bolted for the window. I threw back the curtains, and my optics flashed in shock and horror.

A fire was burning right on the hotel's porch.

"Oh, shit!" I muttered.

I turned and ran for the door, pulling it open-

And recoiled at the sight of thick, billowing black smoke.

The smoke also carried with it the tinge of burning flesh... and at once my reactor leapt into my throat. I gulped audibly before I closed the vents on my frame and bolted out of the room. I could hear people panicking and scrambling for the exits, or trying to escape via the windows. Some shattering of glass was heard as I vaulted over the staircase railing and landed on the landing below. I ran for the stairs and came to a stop, gaping in shock at the inferno raging below. My optics widened as I threw my cloak around myself on instinct.

I didn't hesitate to launch my fin funnels to generate the 360 degree prism shield around myself as I made my way through the blazing firestorm. "Hello?!" I called. "Is there anyone here?!"

Only the roar of the flames reached my audio receptors. I mentally gritted my teeth as I leaned forward a bit and started to walk.

"Hello?!" I called again.

But once again, no one answered. I dimmed my optics a shade as I made my way through the flames.

Only to stop as I came face-to-face with several burning skeletons lying on the floor of the hotel.

My optics flashed brightly in my shock as I recognized one of them as belonging to the owner of the hotel, mostly due to a golden necklace she had worn around her neck. Beside her were two smaller skeletons, and I assumed they had been either her children or relatives of some nature. I mentally gritted my teeth as I whirled around, my scanners now trying to sift through the inferno to pick out the culprit, if they were present, that is.

The bad news was that with this much heat it was hard to detect any life signs. So I had to evacuate with the rest of the guests. And as it stood, even my frame wasn't built to tolerate hours in a burning firestorm like this, despite the intense endurance I had.

So I turned and bolted out the door, my fin funnels deactivating the prism shield once I was finally safe. I let out a sigh as they reattached to my wings.

I turned back to the blazing structure that had once been a quaint, cozy hotel. All kinds of things were racing through my processor, but one big question stuck out the most: was Tiger all right? Had he escaped in time? If not... was he still in there?

Panic flooded my frame and I made to go back in, but then I paused, seeing something limping out of the shadows. I tensed, thinking it to be the perpetrator of the fire, only to see it was a familiar blue and white furred being. His eyes were wide with shock before he turned to look in my direction.

I let out an audible sigh of relief as he hobbled towards me.

His eyes, however, were far from relieved to see me. They were hard, becoming like bronze or amber... one of those two. His teeth were bared as he looked at me directly. "Just be glad you got out," he growled. "That explosion was no coincidence."

"I figured as much," I remarked. "Especially since it happened at what..." I checked my internal clock. "...one in the morning?"

Tiger frowned. "Aren't you curious as to what caused that explosion?"

In truth, I was. But I had other things to worry about. Such as whether or not others had survived.

However, those thoughts were driven from my processor as I heard footsteps.

And heavy ones at that.

I whirled around, only for my optics to widen in pure shock at the hulking figure as it emerged from the roiling smoke coming from the burning hotel.

And it was indeed _huge_ , much larger than me. It stood at an imposing ten feet three inches, well over my six foot two frame. And it was as wide as it was tall, with broad shoulders, well muscled arms, and a chest like a trash compactor. The legs were as thick as those of I.O.N.E.S.C.O. had been, with thick veins and muscles to boot. The hands were massive, able to no doubt tear my frame in half or rip my limbs from their joints. The head was like that of a cyclops, with one eye and a mouth. And the skin was _yellow_! Pure yellow flesh, and it was stark naked, save for a loincloth around its waist. And it looked as if the veins on its body were black and purple...

Like those of a Fallen.

That sent my senses into overdrive. A _Fallen?!_ Here?!

I mentally gritted my teeth as the creature looked around, its eye scanning for something.

That made me tense up. What was it searching for?

"Where are you?!" the creature bellowed in a masculine, nasally voice.

I froze in place, confusion now filling my processor. This thing... was searching for someone?

"Where are you, traitor!?" he cried.

The creature turned, his eye flashing red as he finally locked his gaze with my furry companion: Tiger.

" _YOU!_ " he screamed. "Finally! I can have my revenge!"

Tiger's eyes widened as he tensed, his very being seeming to coil like a spring. But with his lack of muscle tone and the way his legs shook, he wouldn't last long. I didn't need to use my processor to figure that out.

"Hold it!" I shouted, catching this thing's attention. He turned to look at me as I walked forward, my cloak billowing around me in the heat from the fire.

His single eye flashed red as he sneered. "Well... what do we have here?"

I stopped walking and stood in front of Tiger, my wings flaring open as I flashed my optics. "Who the hell are you?!" I growled. "And what do you want with Tiger?!"

The creature cackled as he threw his head back. "A story like that will take time to tell... and time is something I am not willing to spend on someone as insignificant as you!"

I jerked back in surprise. "Whaddya mean by that?!" I blurted, my wings arching themselves. "You think I'm just an insect?!"

"Yes," the creature sneered. "I'm much stronger than you or that traitor, and no matter what you do... you won't be able to defeat me."

"The hell are you talking about?!" I asked. "And what is going on here?!"

The creature didn't even hesitate to launch an attack at me, but I fired off my fin funnels and focused them into the prism shield. The beams interconnected and within seconds his massive fist slammed into the barrier, actually knocking me back as the force of the impact sent the prism shield flying before it slammed into the ground - with me still inside it.

At least it kept me from sustaining massive damage.

I groaned as I sat up, my shield dissipating as I dismissed it. I rubbed my helm where I had hit it against the shield and looked up, my optics flaring bright violet. "Oh... you are so asking for it!" I growled.

The creature sneered as he continued to stalk towards Tiger, completely oblivious to me. Anger flared within me and I growled to myself as I got to my feet, flaring my wings open and my flight pack kicking on as I sprang off the ground, using all eight of my thrusters to boost my incoming punch. I thrust my left fist forward, my blow colliding with his head and sending him staggering as I sped past and came back around, my psychoframe starting to seethe with greenish white energy and my optics turning a cool green color.

I screamed as I aimed my beam burst gun and swung it into position. I didn't even hesitate as I fired it a moment later, the beam shot splitting into six smaller shots that struck the ground around him, as well as hitting his massive body. I cut the beam and stored it once more before I spun around in midair to deliver a roundhouse as I came closer. My foot connected solidly with his chest and sent him falling flat on his back. I landed and skidded, using my momentum to spin around on my feet, one hand splayed on the ground in front of me, the other one thrown back to keep my balance with my wings flared wide open, my fin funnels hovering around me.

The creature groaned as he struggled to sit up. "You... You little runt!" he growled.

"Okay! Just what the hell is going on here?!" I growled out. "Why are you after Tiger? And why do you keep calling him a traitor?!"

The yellow creature sat up, his body aching, no doubt from my blows.

"You want to know...?" he hissed. "Then ask him yourself! That traitor... he killed my best friend, Holly!" His eye flared red as he slowly got to his knees. "And he left all of us to die! He didn't even get the big guns activated!"

' _This guy's nuts!_ ' I thought.

"What exactly happened?" I asked, trying to keep him talking.

"That traitor destroyed the base! Had it not been destroyed... then we could've been able to defeat that damn Fallen!" the creature snarled. "And then... then maybe Holly wouldn't have died at his fangs!"

I was now really confused. And this thing was not answering my questions.

I needed information. But to get it would not be easy.

And I knew of only one solution to this problem.

But first I had to get in closer. I stood up and got into a fighting stance, my frame tensing as the creature got to his feet and shook his head. "Okay... since you're not answering my questions... you leave me no choice," I said grimly.

"Like I would!" he grunted.

I took that as a sign to act. And I did. With a cry, my thruster pack ignited and I charged at him, my psychoframe shimmering its bright greenish-white color. I focused my mind on it, and on the strange ability to see visions of the past. If this worked, then I would have my answers. My left fist began to seethe with energy, turning a sort of rainbow-greenish color. I thrust it out and grabbed onto his head, clutching at his eye with my hand and planting both my feet on his chest while grabbing onto his cheek with my right hand to stay in place.

The creature roared as I dug my fingers in enough to keep my position.

And then I was assaulted.

Not physically, mind you, but _mentally_. I was assaulted by visions of the past... of battle... of war... of death... and of demise. I saw things from the creature's point of view. I saw a human girl as she talked to him, calling him Suezo or something like that. She apparently was very close to him, and they were best friends. I saw a rabbit... a literal golem... and a human boy.

Was this his team?

The question was lost as I was shown more visions, this time of a massive military base of sorts, with buildings and highly advanced defenses... and attacking it were Grimm. Hordes of them, along with humanoid shadows and a sinister Dragon flying overhead. Just like in my last dream.

But what really shocked me was seeing Tiger in that vision. He was at the head of the defenses of the base... but he had a sneer on his face. And then I saw the girl lying at his feet.

That was all I got before I was thrown back, the creature slamming a massive yellow hand into my frame and sending me flying.

I landed on the ground, my mind reeling in shock.

I had just seen a betrayal.

And I was horrified at what I had seen.


	33. Arc II - Assault

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Suezo_

 _Not much is known about this Fallen, except for what little can be gleaned from his ranting and subsequent records that have been found in the aftermath of the Battle of Green River._

 _His story began during the Forgotten Age, when there were creatures unlike anything else roaming the world. Some of these creatures resembled animals that exist today, but possessed advanced intelligence and powers resembling Aura and Semblances. Suezo was one of those creatures, being a unique breed that stood on one single stalk leg, possessing only an eyeball and a mouth. While he wasn't very strong or powerful, it was his loyalty and friendship with a human woman named Holly that gave him the drive to fight._

 _But sometime during the last days of the Forgotten Age, Epsileon Base, the military base where he was stationed, fell under attack by Fallen and Grimm. According to his rants, he sought greater power to protect his friend, but while she was at the base, his former teammate, Tiger of the Wind, killed her with his fangs and left her to die. He accepted a deal with the devil, so to speak, and acquired very dangerous powers, including a full humanoid body. He became much stronger, and went on the attack, seeking the traitor to his civilization and military to kill him and avenge Holly._

 _Current records though dispute this claim._

 _Further research is needed._

 _Close Files_

* * *

"Traitors and treason. What do those words mean? A traitor is usually someone who goes against the collective will of the group in pursuit of ideals that contrast with the beliefs of the group. Treason is identified as willingly assisting an enemy nation or force to undermine their own side. Or is it deeper than that?" TOM asked as he closed the Suezo file. "No one can be sure, but in some realities, maybe treason happens at the highest office, and if the people see it as treason, then it is." He pressed a button and the screen depicted a doofus in the Oval Office, spewing racist propaganda to spur his voter base. "And to go against what makes a nation great is also considered treason. So... if you see your elected officials undermining your nation's ideals, what will you do to stop them? Will you vote in people who prioritize the nation over their party? Or will you just let the nation suffer because you feel it's already too late? Your choice can make all the difference, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time."

He leaned back and pressed a button on his chair's left arm rest.

* * *

 _ **(** The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 _ **(** The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight** ( _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Assault**

* * *

 _It's hard to believe..._

 _But everything has changed._

 _And not in any way I can recognize._

 _For instance, the calendar that once existed is no more. In place of the Connected Era, there is the Anno Domini Era, or AD. The current year is 201X, AD. The last thing I recall was it being the year 2985 CE._

 _Heh. I'm actually getting ahead of myself._

 _My title is Tiger of the Wind, but my friends just called me Tiger. Kinda strange to shorten one's own title for ease of convenience, but who am I to complain? In all honesty though, it kind of fits. Anyway, I digress from the topic. I was once a member of a team called the Hunters, a specialized team that dealt with hunting down the Phoenix remnants that existed in the world to try and seal off the Black Monsters' pool source._

 _My team... God... it's been so long I've forgotten mostly everything about them. What I do know was that they were my closest friends, and my best allies. The leader of our team was a young boy, but I cannot for the life of me remember his name. Just that he was a spunky kid who refused to give up. Holly... I'm surprised I can still remember her name, as well as more about her. She was one of those who fought against the Monsters, alongside the rest of us. Then there was her friend, Suezo... someone who eventually turned against us all. And for what? That I'd like to know. Then Golem and Hare. Golem was not very talkative, but he had a big heart. And Hare, for all his sleeziness, was indeed a cunning strategist and always came through for us._

 _At least that's what I can remember._

 _The rest of my memories are fuzzy and hazy. All I can really remember in great clarity is the battle at Epsileon Base. That fight... was what could've enabled us to hold the line if the guns had worked._

 _That day was also when the Connected Era came to an end._

 _What was the Connected Era, you ask?_

 _To put it simply, it was the era where Human and Faunus were united as one race. The reason for this connection was rather simple: a vast interconnected web of networks that spanned the globe. This... Internet... was our biggest advantage in the fight against the Black Monsters, or as they are called in this time, the Grimm Horde. (And I will admit that it is a far more fitting name than Black Monsters.) Thanks to the Internet, our world was connected on a level that not even this... Sky Web... can match. Real time communications let us hold our own in areas where the Grimm were more numerous, and in some cases, we did reclaim that land from the Horde, and destroyed the pools using a very rare mineral called enium._

 _However, the Connected Era came to an end after the fall of Epsileon Base. I do not know what exactly happened in that time frame, as I was sealed away after I got injured._

 _And now... I'm in a new time, conversing with a mechanical life form called a Gundam. Or whatever it is, and it has a name: Joseph 'Dracon' Matthews or something._

 _Anyway, I'm in a new time, and I have no idea as to what caused the end of the Connected Era. Not much remains from that time, only ruins, and I'm surprised the base lasted as long as it did. I can only theorize as to how, but that is for later._

 _Right now, I'm also in a fight against a former friend, now traitor to the Alliance in the past... My old friend... Suezo..._

* * *

 ***Tiger's POV***

I was downright shocked.

To be labeled as a traitor... when all I had done was risk my life to fight against the Black Monsters?

That was nothing but downright treason right there. Me... one of the Hunters, declared a traitor by my former best friend?

I wasn't sure if this was a trick or reality. Some small part of me decried it, saying it was impossible. Suezo had died during the Battle of Epsileon Base. I saw it! I know I did! He went out and never returned!

But there was the more rational side telling me otherwise. That he had _not_ died, as no body had been found. He was not _dead_ in the true sense of the word, but at the same time he was. Because this _thing_ that used his name was no longer the GENO I knew.

GENO, in case you're wondering, stands for Genetically Engineered Organism. Our civilization were masters of genetic engineering, capable of creating entities like Suezo and myself, along with literal living golems. It only showed how advanced we truly were. But what we had in advanced genetics, we lacked in several other critical parts; most notably robotics. Oh sure we possessed the Metal Men, but they were only guardians and protectors, commanded by a simple AI for the most advanced and piloted by humans in bulky suits for the basic models. (Unlike the life form that had been thrown from the thing calling itself Suezo, they were _much_ larger and possessed nothing but the standard blocky robotic helms and facial features. They possessed two optical cameras encased in bulb like structures, a robotic grille that lit up when exterior speakers were used, and communications antennae extending from the sides of the head. And they also had pincers for hands and blocky legs and feet. The Gundam on the other hand was more human-esque, with a curved helm, much like a fighter pilot's, a slatted faceplate, and twin violet optics that were more like eyes in a sense.)

What we also lacked was the foresight to plan ahead for our eventual downfall, which remains as much a mystery then as it does now. I didn't even think that Suezo remembered, either.

Anyway, I was stunned and shocked beyond belief. I had never expected my old friend to mark me as a traitor. And what in the name of the Phoenix had happened to him?!

He had never been like this in all his life. Oh sure he had a devotion to Holly, but why was he so huge, and where did he get those veins on his arms, legs, and face? And had he been the one who caused that explosion?

As if in response to my thoughts, his red eye flashed and a blast of light lanced out from it, striking the ground close to me and causing an explosion that threw me flat on my side. I staggered to my feet, feeling the pain in my muscles and body. My injury twinged and I nearly went down if I didn't brace my legs. I looked up, panting as Suezo looked at me with nothing but pure contempt.

I bared my teeth and met his gaze with my own amber eyes. "Suezo... what's gotten into you?!" I growled out, wishing my voice wasn't so weak.

"Why should I answer you, traitor?" he growled back, his voice _much_ deeper than I remembered. And louder, too. It reminded me of rocks rolling down a mountainside.

"This isn't like you!" I responded.

The red eye flashed and the next thing I knew, his hand lashed out and grabbed me, pulling me close to his eye. His teeth bared themselves in response to my remark and he snarled. "Time has ways of changing a GENO, Tiger!" he spat. I grimaced; some of his spittle landed on my fur. "And I for one am sick of your self-righteous attitude, thinking you're so great when you're not! Not since that day you killed her!"

"I did nothing of that nature!" I rebutted, growling deeply in the back of my throat at the accusation. " _You're_ the one who left her in our care, only for her to go out and try to find you! She died while trying to find you!"

"Only because you sent her out!" Suezo hissed.

I had to turn my head away from his breath; while it had smelled bad as a normal GENO, this time it was worse - or more like ten times worse. It stank a lot like rotting flesh and garbage as one.

"I did not! She went out on her own! I tried to stop her!" I protested, but he wasn't hearing it.

" _LIAR!_ " he bellowed, shaking the whole area with his voice alone. "You did no such thing!"

I gritted my teeth, only to feel an intense squeezing sensation and burning pain blossoming in my chest and torso as he started to squeeze. My windpipe was being constricted and I was starting to lose oxygen to my lungs. I couldn't focus my energy for my signature attack. Not even the icy cold. My vision began to go dark, and I started to cough, or at least I tried to. A rushing sound was filling my hearing...

I thought I heard a bellow of rage and then something struck Suezo, as he was screaming in fury as his hand fell away from my limp body. I swore I heard a voice calling out to me and then a figure... was it an angel...? ...swooped down and caught me in its arms, but they weren't like those of an angel. Sure they were strong and gentle, but also were... metallic?

That was the last thought I had before my eyes slipped closed and I fell into the oblivion.

* * *

 ***Dracon's POV***

To say that the guy was enraged was an understatement.

He was downright _pissed off_. Especially after that little stunt I pulled with my Dracon funnels.

I shot a glance back over my shoulder at the strange Fallen, his massive hand clutching at his red eye. Black ichor spurted from the wound, and stained his flesh a dark brown color. Kinda fitting, really.

His bellows of rage and pain forced me to mute my audio receptors as the creature staggered around, crying out obscenities in a language I didn't recognize. It sounded much too... ancient... for even my translation programs. The Fallen lowered his hand, and I felt a surge of nausea erupt from within me at the sight of the stab wounds in his eyeball.

I tore my gaze away from the sight and flew as fast as I could towards the hotel located further back. Already I noticed security forces swarming out of the building, their weapons at the ready as they assembled on the path leading to it. A few of them were about to fire on me, but then I spotted a familiar figure clad in red armor coming out, waving his arms to try and get the forces to stand down. It worked, and they parted to allow me past.

I flashed by over Agunimon's head as he turned, but I didn't even hesitate as I landed near the main entrance.

Unlike the dingy inn I had stayed in, this one was much, much larger and nicer on the outside. It was made of stucco, possessing a sort of Western air as the stucco was painted - fashioned, really - to look like weathered wood. The place was a grand three stories tall, with a large segment that was completely enclosed in metal covered with stucco, glass segments allowing in the natural sunlight. A few slides were visible inside and outside, and the main entrance resembled an old Mexican hotel of sorts. (It was hard to describe, actually.) Alarms were blaring; I had reactivated my audio receptors and they reached my hearing from even in the air. Already patrons outside the hotel were being ushered inside as thick blast doors came down hard to shield the entrances and keep the guests safe.

The hotel had gone into lockdown. But the main entrance was still open; at least for a while longer. I dove down fast and hard, holding Tiger close to my chest. I had to get him inside, and quickly.

I blasted past the startled guards as they parted to let any other guests outside back in, and I spun, cutting thrust to my flight pack and landed, skidding on my feet, sparks coming from the impact with the stone floor as I skidded to a halt. Agunimon was the last one in as the blast doors finally started to descend. And he was worried as hell.

I slowly stood up straight, panting as I gently set Tiger down on the cold floor. "He needs medical attention," I remarked.

"What the hell happened?" one of the security guards asked.

"Long story short, he's got a nasty injury to his chest," I explained. "Anyone a doctor here?"

"Take him down to the medical wing!" a staffer replied. "They're the closest thing we got to a hospital once we're in Lockdown."

I nodded and knelt, scooping up the wounded Tiger before I ran after the staffer as she led me through the halls towards the wing in question. It wasn't that far from the main lobby, but it was heavily guarded in events such as this. A few guards had to step aside once the woman flashed her ID card and I followed her in.

It was a flurry of activity after that. I barely remember much of it, to be honest; it was that hectic.

Anyway, I remember finding myself outside in the waiting room, Agunimon perched next to me as he fiddled with one of his knives. I shifted a bit in worry as he turned to look at me.

"So what's up?" he asked. "Who was that you brought in?"

"Just someone I found," I answered vaguely, trying to focus on something else. "He was hurt so I brought him here."

"Why not the hospital?" Agunimon asked. "That would've been closer."

"That attack in the resort town was putting the building in danger. I couldn't risk it," I retorted, looking at him. "This was the best bet for his safety."

"It was?" Agunimon didn't seem to believe it. He tilted his head a bit. "Somehow I doubt it."

"That thing that attacked us was after him. I couldn't let it get him!" I shot back with a flare of my optics. "Plus this place has far better defenses than the town does!"

And it was true, too.

But now I was even more confused. What the hell did that thing mean when he called Tiger a traitor? And was he right? If so... then had I unknowingly helped a criminal?!

The thought alone was enough to make my reactor increase its humming in my chest as I buried my face in my hands. I just didn't know what to do. My mind was reeling with what I had seen in that thing's mind, and I was unsure of what I should do. I had no idea how long I sat there, but then the door to the medical wing opened and I heard a voice speaking. I lifted my head to come face-to-face with an avian-type Mobian. She held in her hands a clipboard as she called my name again. "Dracon?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry," I remarked. "I wasn't paying attention."

"It's okay. As for the patient you brought us, we were able to more effectively treat his wound, which wasn't as bad as it seemed," she explained. "The real issue is his lack of food and muscular dystrophy. He's on an IV right now, but he'll be fine with food and exercise."

A sense of relief and worry at once surged through my frame and I sighed. "Thank Glob..." I whispered.

"Also, he's been wanting to see you," she added.

"He has?" I asked.

She nodded as she stepped aside. "He's awake and wondering where you are."

I was on my feet in a flash and I ran past her, startling the nurse. I needed answers, and I was going to get them, one way or another.

* * *

To see him lying on the bed was something I didn't expect. He was eyeing me warily as I stepped into the room.

"So... you brought me here," he said, the question worded more as a statement. I just nodded.

"Why?" Tiger asked.

"To make sure you weren't in any more danger," I replied. "And plus, I want answers. I couldn't exactly get them with that thing out there after you."

Tiger's amber eyes narrowed dangerously.

"When I was fighting him, I... saw... his memories. And in them, he saw you as a traitor, having killed a close friend of his," I remarked. "So... is it true, or is there something more to the story?"

The wolf's eyes widened before he looked at me directly and bared his fangs. "That's not the case!" he hissed, his voice sounding more like a snake's than anything else at the moment. I shuddered against my will at that. "It's not even the truth!"

"Then what is?" I asked.

Tiger sighed. "I may not remember much about my past, but I _do_ remember that day clearly," he explained. "That thing... used to be a friend of mine before he was supposedly killed by someone. Actually, we had no idea as to what happened, but apparently he made a deal with the devil and..." His eyes flashed as he looked directly into my violet optics. "Well, you saw the results."

"So, did you kill his friend or not?" I growled.

"No," Tiger shot back instantly. "When he didn't return, his friend, a girl named Holly, went out to try and find him. I tried to stop her, but it wasn't enough. I chased after her, trying to keep her safe, but when I found her, she was dead at the hands of a Grimm. I lunged for the Grimm and killed it; however, I couldn't save Holly. I had sworn to keep her safe..." His eyes softened and he seemed to be burdened by something as he looked at the IV with a despondent look in his eyes. "...and I failed him... I failed her... and in return, I failed my civilization."

I wasn't sure how, but I could... _sense_ he was telling the truth. The emotions I was sensing via my psychoframe were potent, and profound. Guilt, fear, regret. Those were the three that stood out the most to me. (In truth, I had no idea I could even sense emotions with it.) I finally sighed. "Tiger... I... Sorry for the accusation, but... I just wanted to know. That's all."

He snorted. "Happens. People make mistakes. Humans always do." He then eyed me critically. "Except for you, I assume."

"Hey! I make mistakes like everyone else!" I shot back, my wings flaring on instinct. "I'm not some perfect machine, you know!"

Tiger merely rolled his eyes at my comment. "Sure..."

I felt a hint of anger flare within me at that. "What makes you think I'm a mere machine?!" I growled.

"It's obvious. You were built by someone and programmed, albeit with the ability to have free will. No machine I knew of had that capacity, which means-"

I cut him off. "Look! I'm _not_ a machine, and nor was I built by anyone! I used to be human before I got wounded and was left a cripple!" I hissed. "I was transferred into this frame so I wouldn't be bedridden for the rest of my life!"

Tiger looked at me like I was nuts. "You have got to be kidding me..." he muttered. "They actually came up with something as lame as that?"

" _No one programmed or built me!_ " I shouted, causing a few nurses, doctors, and Agunimon to poke their heads into the room.

The wolf snorted and rolled his eyes.

Believe me, I was more than tempted to tear into him and show him how wrong he was. But I withheld that urge, figuring it was best to let it go for now. As it stood, I didn't have the documents showcasing the procedure had been done on my person at the moment, which in hindsight was very stupid of me; if I needed to be transferred to a more powerful frame - which I didn't need and still don't need - I had to provide the documentation to a local Vist Foundation building and they would send my digitized mind to the main HQ for retransfer.

Anyway, I forced myself to ignore his assumptions and moved onto the next bit of information. Or I was about to when I suddenly jerked as the building shook the tiniest bit.

My optics shot over to the door and I was on my feet in a flash, running out of the medical wing and towards the lobby.

The blast doors were still down, but already I could see dents and dings starting to form on it. The most serious dents were the ones that looked like metal fists... and I shuddered as I realized what this meant.

That thing was coming to the hotel.

And he was going to break inside and slaughter everyone inside.

A sense of fury built up within me. As a Hunter, I was not going to let anyone get away with such mindless and brutal slaughter. As it was, I was still skeptical about the whole thing I had seen and the story Tiger had told me. I needed to find more data, a lot more, before I made my decision. And until then, this thing... whatever his name was, had to be stopped.

My wings flared open as Agunimon joined me, having seen me run from the medical wing to the lobby.

"You thinking of doing something stupid?" he asked.

"Maybe," I retorted, "but then again, we need to keep this thing from getting inside."

The Warrior of Flame nodded and we both got ready for the inevitable confrontation.

* * *

 _Suezo's eye burned with fury as he drove a powerful fist into the metallic door. It shrieked as metal was bent under his immense strength, forcing it to give a little more. Whomever built this place certainly spared no expense. Even the waterpark area was cordoned off with military grade blast doors and bulletproof windows, although he had no idea as to why._

 _All he knew was that he had to get in and finish that traitor off for murdering his best friend. His eye glowed with hatred as he drove a second fist into the door, this time smashing it in with a loud screeching of metal tearing free. The door flew back into the interior of the lobby, landing on the floor and skidding a good few meters to a rest in front of two creatures, one of which he had seen before._

 _The first one was a male humanoid in red armor with long blonde hair that looked untamable, and his eyes were a piercing blue. He had some kind of a bladed weapon in his hands and his fanged teeth, so much like that traitor's, bared. He stood at six-foot-two, or so he guessed, and his armor was a mix of red, white, and gold. A black body suit barely hid his powerful build._

 _But the second one he knew, having seen it before it retreated with the traitor in its grasp._

 _A dark blue armored humanoid, clearly mechanical in nature, unlike the male who was organic. This metal man stood at six-foot-two as well, with a pair of draconic wings on the back and a pair of beam pistols equipped to the side skirt armor. Unlike the metal men from his original time, this one's helm was more human-esque, with a pair of violet optics that served as eyes, a V-shaped chevron on its forehead, and a white slatted faceplate. A glowing line of sorts worked its way around the frame and the metal man appeared to have a more muscular appearance, and it wore a raggedy cloak, complete with hat on its head and spurs on the ankle guards._

 _The two intruders held up their weapons as he charged, intending to meet them head on._

 _Nothing was going to stop him._

 _Nothing._

* * *

 **"Dammit... You're serious, Cardias?"**

 **"Yes. Professor Mizuki is dead."**

 **"I take it he had precautions?"**

 **"No. He never wrote anything down. That was his flaw. All his research was kept inside his head."**

 **"What about the status on the project otherwise?"**

 **"Our second unit is still in storage. We can't afford to risk exposing it until needed."**

 **"But Cardias..."**

 **"No. We're not exposing it. That is my final order."**

 **"...Very well..."**

 **"Torenov... I know he was a close colleague, but there's nothing we can do except hope that one day something happens to turn this war in our favor."**

 **"So far Joseph has not made as much of an impact as we feared..."**

 **"He will. My intuition is telling me he will make an impact. And maybe he'll learn a valuable lesson about one of the world's strongest beings..."**

 **"You know something... don't you?"**

 **"Just call it a hunch, Torenov."**

 **"A hunch. You always say that." *a wry chuckle* "Very well. I trust your judgment on the youth."**

 **"Thank you, old friend. Thank you..."**


	34. Arc II - Confrontation

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Connected Era_

 _The Connected Era is the name of the age that existed centuries before the Time of Awakening, even before the Anno Domini era. The civilization that existed during this time was among the most advanced of its time, possessing technologies that would make any engineer, inventor, or scientist drool with envy. This technology was truly more advanced than anything even today. Even the dimension of O-000, with its advanced war machines, cannot match it in every way. Their genetic techniques and knowledge surpassed any others of the time, and this very knowledge allowed them to create several different species, enough to be considered the first ancestors to Mobians, although claims of that are dubious at best._

 _But what they possessed in genetic science and technologies, they lacked in robotics. While they were advanced enough to create their Metal Men guardians, these great protectors only could be piloted by means of a cockpit in the basic models, with the pilots wearing bulky suits wired into the machine itself for the basic models, and the more advanced models possessed only a basic AI program, incapable of independent thought or free will, let alone the ability to learn. Their science could only go so far in that field._

 _The Metal Men, while powerful war machines and defenders in their own right, were nothing like the Metal Men carried by the mysterious White Legend, possessing only the basic features of robots found in old 1920s to 1940s science-fiction stories. In fact, some theorists and archaeologists claim that the Metal Men remains found were the inspiration for those kinds of robots._

 _In terms of their weapons and firearms, this ancient civilization was capable of generating weapons that are almost exactly like modern day firearms and artillery, with some exceptions of beam weapons that were small enough to be wielded by a standard infantry soldier of the time. Most notably, their beam technology was actually_ less _refined than it is now, making it more powerful than today's beam weaponry. But their real ace lay in their genetic techniques and science._

 _They were able to create Genetically ENgineered Organisms, or GENOs, for short. These GENOs actually used to be household pets, but as time passed, the military saw their use in war, and thus the Great War began, with each side developing more and more GENOs until they were almost equal with the human, Mobian, and Faunus populations at the time. This war lasted for centuries, and it didn't help much that the Grimm were starting to make advances into the country of Pangaea, which was the continent-spanning superpower of the Forgotten Age. This superpower was able to stem the tide, and actually, what few records remain indicate that this civilization was also able to not only drive back the Grimm, but they almost succeeded in destroying them if not for the arrival of the Fallen. This led to Pangaea almost becoming the nation that saved the world from the Grimm Horde. The means by which they were able to nearly win was due to an unknown mineral, only referred to in ancient texts as enium. Some think it was a precursor to Dust, but other texts found in subsequent ruins like Epsileon Base point to it being a different kind of material._

 _No one knows what the outcome of the war could have been, because sometime after the Battle of Cheyenne, the entire country was plunged into darkness, and the Cataclysm ravaged the lands, tearing the countries of the Era apart and causing others to form from the remnants. The Connected Era came to an end, and thus the Anno Domini Era came to be._

 _ _Close Files__

* * *

"What does it mean to lose history? History is something people have to learn in order to prevent the mistakes of the past from repeating themselves. It's an old adage that continues to matter, even today. In a world of turmoil and chaos, history serves as a reminder of lessons learned," TOM lectured as he closed the Connected Era file. "But what if people don't learn those lessons? Then as the old adage goes, those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Some countries, or even worlds, have engaged in acts of censorship in order to keep the past hidden. It's no different in another nation in a totally isolated reality."

TOM pressed a button and a screen came up, showing a battered eagle holding twin arrow clusters in its talons. "This reality was isolated from the multiverse as a whole due to a barbaric tradition and the lack of an appreciation for history, because without history, how can anyone learn about what the world was like before?" He shrugged. "And believe me, it's a lot better to learn from the past than to let the past come back and bite you in the ass. So in your world, country, or even your reality, will you try to erase the past, or will you embrace it so the future generations can learn from it and create a better world than the one you left behind? It's your actions that make history."

He pressed a second button on his chair as he looked at the screen showing the emblem of Dimension O-000's most elite unit. "Because in another reality, to learn is to secure a future for everyone. The program to ensure this is called Generation Peace, and it is mandated that everyone learn about the past mistakes so as to not have it repeated. But there are those who claim it's controversial as it doesn't give people a choice. But sometimes that's needed to drive the lesson home."

TOM finally pressed the button on his chair's left arm rest as he looked at the audience (you). "So, think carefully about what you're hearing and seeing. Sometimes it's best to get the truth from multiple, _real and reliable_ sources rather than just one."

* * *

 _ **(** The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 _ **(** The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight** ( _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Confrontation**

* * *

I was tense as the large creature roared, storming into the lobby of the hotel, his huge hands flying as he charged at us.

Agunimon's teeth were bared as he held up his sword. "Sure wish you'd brought more firepower than measly beam pistols!" he growled.

"Don't think I know that!" I muttered. Truthfully, I _did_ regret not bringing my beam magnum and my shield and Hyper Beam Sword. I did have my beam burst gun, but I wasn't about to risk firing it in the hotel lobby with guests and staff around.

I aimed my pistols and fired off a few shots, striking his body, only for his Aura, which was a seething blood red, to deflect the worst of them. "Oh, shit!" I muttered. "Not good!"

He charged at us, his right fist careening for Agunimon. The red-armored warrior wasted no time in dodging, using his incredible agility to his advantage and landing a few feet away. I, on the other hand, had to duck by leaning back, his knuckles just inches from my faceplate. I reacted by grabbing his arm and wrapping my legs around it before I placed both hands on the floor. He was surprised as I jerked my frame back, using the strength of the hydraulics in my legs to flip him as I let out a cry. He landed on the floor with a loud _crash_ , creating a minor crater and cracks in the floor. I scrambled off his arm and scooted back a distance, keeping myself ready for anything.

The Fallen lay there, groaning as he struggled to get to his feet. His red eye burned with hatred as he turned to look at me and Agunimon.

The Warrior of Flame hissed through his teeth as he glanced at me. "Got any plans?" he asked.

I shook my helm.

"Dammit...!" he muttered.

Agunimon gritted his teeth as he hefted his katana/rifle and gripped the hilt. I saw him open the Dust chamber and slam home a blue Dust round: ice Dust. "Well... then let's see if we can keep him from causing any more damage to the resort," he remarked.

I nodded. "Right."

I replaced my beam pistols on my side skirt armor and looked at my beam tonfas, but then decided to go for something just as good. My hand flew for my beam sabers on my flight pack and I pulled one free, igniting the blade and holding it in both hands like Agunimon was his own blade. The two of us faced down the Fallen as he sneered at us. "So, you think that you can use your puny weapons to harm me?!" he jeered. "Face it! I am akin to a god! And with this power... I will eviscerate that traitor _and_ all who stand by him!"

I wasn't too sure on what to believe regarding this, but right now, one thing was certain: we had to drive this thing back. And before others lost their lives unnecessarily.

That was the last thing I wanted on my record.

"Get ready, fools!" the Fallen screeched.

Agunimon made his first move. He charged at the Fallen, his blade seething with icy energy. He swung, unleashing an icy shockwave that struck the Fallen's left leg and froze it from the knee down, right to the floor. That was my cue. I flared my wings and kicked on my engines, darting in with a roar. I slashed hard, driving the energy blade into his flesh, causing him pain. A howl of agony nearly blew out my audios if I didn't mute them in time. I was flashing past him a second later, drawing an immense bloody gash on his torso. He grasped at it with one hand, his eye squinting shut in pain. He glanced up, the pupil flashing red as he looked at me, his teeth bared in hatred.

The Warrior of Flame was on the move again, his sword still seething with that icy energy as he attempted another attack. But the Fallen was one step ahead this time as he drew back a massive fist - the one that was not clutching at his wound - and drove it into the ground, unleashing a shockwave that rocked the whole hotel. The structure groaned ominously, and that sent a shudder racing down my spinal struts. If this thing was going to cause the building to collapse...

I turned to look at Agunimon. "We can't fight in here!" I realized. "We have to get him outside of the hotel before he causes the place to collapse around us... _on_ us!"

He looked at me with one blue eye. "Gee, ya think?!" he quipped. "Of course I know that!"

The Fallen sneered as he withdrew his fist from the ground, finally using his immense strength to break the ice around his leg. "I told you your weapons were worthless!" he cackled as he stood up, revealing his injury was healing right before our eyes/optics.

"Oh... shit..." I muttered.

He sneered at us as he began to walk, his imposing stature forcing people to either retreat or hide. The Fallen's eye flashed red as his Aura seethed like flames. "So... you insects want to try again?" he jeered.

I glanced around, my optics trying to pick out a solution. As it stood, he was nowhere close to the door, but that didn't mean we couldn't lure him towards it again. A desperate idea formed in my processor and I looked at Agunimon. "Hey, think you could bring out the heavy hitter?" I asked. "I got an idea, but I need your... greater strength... to help with it!"

His eyes locked onto my violet optics before he realized what I was getting at. A smirk crossed his face. "Sure can!" he remarked. Then it faded and he grew serious. "But we need to get him close to the door."

"I got that covered," I said. "At least I hope I do."

Agunimon's face paled at that and I gulped nervously as I cupped both hands around my faceplate.

"Hey! Cyclops! Bet ya can't even hit the broad side of a barn with that bad eyesight!" I taunted.

The Fallen whirled at the sound of my voice and his eye flashed red in his anger. "You... I'll get you!" he cried, charging at me.

I was barely able to dodge as he punched, but my frame's agility was far greater than his own. I leapt back and landed on my feet, skidding and putting my beam saber away. I looked up and clenched my own fist, flaring my wings and charging at him. I punched as hard as I could, throwing every ounce of strength my frame had into the blow.

My fist collided with the side of his face and he staggered back from the blow. But I wasn't without pain in my hand myself. I landed and shook my aching hand to try and remove the pain, but it wasn't going away. I couldn't keep that up, I knew, so I needed a new plan.

"Okay... Bad idea!" I muttered. I really wished I had brought my shield along, because then I could've just slammed it into him and shoved him out of the area towards the door. But as it stood, I didn't have it, so I had to make do with some other method. My optics flicked around the lobby, spotting a few possibilities, but I realized with a jolt of terror that the table wouldn't last very long against his strength, and neither would the desk. In fact, the only real option was to use a section of the floor itself. But it was solely made of tiles, not slabs of marble or metal or...

Wait.

I briefly shot a look at my wings as a thought crawled into my processor. I immediately slapped myself on the forehead with a hand as I realized I _did_ have a means of defense that could be used. I had my fin funnels!

As quickly as I could, I deployed them and willed the 360 degree prism barrier to form. Without as much as a second's hesitation, I ignited my thrusters and charged at the Fallen, slamming into him with enough force to make him cry out as I used every ounce of my frame's thruster output to shove him towards the door leading outside. Agunimon saw my plan and he immediately replaced his katana on his back and sprang into action.

That familiar shimmering ribbon engulfed his form and I didn't even need to know what was happening as I diverted my gaze back towards the Fallen. His red eye was flashing as he attempted to use his Semblance, but I wasn't about to allow it. My Dracon fangs were now darting about, lancing at his flesh and trying to keep him from focusing his mind on his Semblance. The pain was doing its job, but I suspected I had a limited time before he gathered enough of a charge in that eyeball to really do some damage to my frame.

Within seconds the ribbon shattered and the familiar draconic shape of BurningGreymon lunged forward, his right fist drawn back. I kept shoving, finally gunning it as I shunted as much power as I could directly into my frame's thrusters. A roar escaped my vocalizer as I finally drove him towards the door, BurningGreymon's eyes flashing as he joined me. He finally punched, nailing the yellow-skinned Fallen in the gut and causing him to gag. Together, we managed to finally thrust him out of the hotel and into the desert beyond.

We flew for a good fifteen more seconds before I peeled to the left, my Dracon fangs following me, and BurningGreymon to the right.

The Fallen went flying for a few more seconds before he slammed into the desert sand, throwing up a massive dust trail behind him as he skidded to a stop, his flesh burned from the impact. His eye was squinted shut as he lay there, groaning.

I wondered if he was unable to fully recover from the wounds we had inflicted as I hovered there, but then he staggered to his feet and that notion was dispelled quickly.

"Dammit!" I muttered. "Just when I thought we had him!"

"Don't underestimate him!" BurningGreymon cautioned. "Especially as we have no idea as to what other abilities he may have!"

And he was right on so many counts.

I disengaged my fin funnels from their barrier mode and had them hover around me as I reattached my Dracon fangs to my rear skirt armor. I dimmed my optics a shade as the Fallen glared at us. "Okay... No more holding back! That traitor has to die for what he did!"

"How can you even be sure?! How can _I_ be sure that either one of you is telling me the truth!?" I shouted. "How can you even be sure that Tiger is a traitor to you and your friends?!"

"I saw him!" the Fallen roared. "I saw him kill Holly! He has to die for what he did!"

I growled, realizing I wasn't getting anywhere with him. The only thing we could do at this point was fight and either drive him back or kill him. And as it stood, no one had ever managed to kill a Fallen in modern times, or even prior to the Time of Awakening. It wasn't like they could be killed with a shot to the head: Fallen, from what I heard in the grapevine, had the ability to heal from almost any wound, but the types of wounds they could _not_ heal from were unknown to us at the time. Had we known, then maybe we could've dealt fatal blows to the Fallen and curtailed their ambitions somehow.

Regardless, we had our objective.

"BurningGreymon, I've got a plan, but I need your help," I remarked.

"Another one?" the Digimon joked. "That's a world record! Two in one day!"

I growled, but let it slide. I knew he was just joking. Anyway, I held up my beam burst gun and swung it into position. "Think you can cover me?" I asked.

"With pleasure!" he grinned. I crouched and sprang off the ground, keeping my fin funnels positioned around me and BurningGreymon followed suit as he took off with a flap of his wings. My flight pack hummed in my audios as I hovered above the Fallen. BurningGreymon took his chance to hold up a hand as fire erupted from his armor and engulfed him. I waited briefly before he shouted out the name of his attack. " _WILDFIRE TSUNAMI!_ "

That was my cue.

As quick as a flash I darted to the side and away from the fire blast as it came at the yellow-skinned Fallen.

" _WHAT?!_ " The Fallen was caught off guard as he glanced up, his eye widening in shock and horror as I flipped him the bird from higher up in the air.

"Hope you like the heat, big guy!" I taunted.

He roared out in pain and agony as the attack struck him. But for some reason, he wasn't going down. It seemed like he was invincible! My optics flashed in shock at this.

"What the Glob?!" I blurted.

The Fallen looked up at me, and his eye glowed a burning red before he fired off a beam at me directly. I yelped and willed my fin funnels into position as it struck. The beam prism shield held, but the force was enough to knock me out of my position in the air. I cried out as I plummeted, and my sensors registered the intense heat below me. Growling, I flipped my frame around and kicked on all my thrusters to slow my fall. Once I was stabilized in the air, I glared down at him, his red eye pulsing with hatred and anger, his Aura now shielding him from the worst of the Wildfire Tsunami.

BurningGreymon had to cease his attack at that moment, and as it stood, he was just as shocked as me.

How in the name of Glob were we supposed to defeat this thing?!

"This thing's indestructible!" he breathed.

"Damn right..." I muttered. "Or at least really hard to bring down."

The Fallen growled as his Aura dropped. "All right! No more holding back!" he rumbled.

I hissed through my vents as I watched him get into a fighting stance. I willed my fin funnels into a firing position and they aimed at his chest and head. I fired a few shots at him, but he moved with uncanny speed that someone that big shouldn't even _have_! His reflexes surpassed even my own, which was saying something, considering I had thrusters to boost my agility!

I finally had enough. I focused my will on my psychoframe and it began to shimmer brightly, pulsing as energy surged through my circuits and systems, granting me that telltale boost in my strength, agility, and speed. I looked up, my optics having changed over to a cool green in my anger. Beside me, BurningGreymon's eyes narrowed as he clenched his fists and swung the cannons on his arms into position for firing.

The Fallen sneered as he sprang off the ground with a massive leap, and held his fists out to collide with the two of us.

Both me and the Warrior of Flame looked at one another before we nodded.

I charged in first, my left fist drawn back for the punch. I delivered a full power left hook to the Fallen's face, sending his head careening to the left before I followed up with a brutal kick to his chin. The Fallen began to fall, but BurningGreymon zipped past me and him to come to a halt below, aiming the cannons at the falling creature. " _PYRO BARRAGE!_ "

The cannons fired off red energy bullets that struck him and caused him to hiss in pain as I dashed in, flipping one of my tonfas forward and driving the blade into his left shoulder before I fired my fin funnels at his legs, scorching the yellow flesh as his Aura was weakened by the barrage and my beam tonfa. I placed my feet on his side and chest and pulled my beam tonfa's blade free, pushing off the Fallen and dashing down as BurningGreymon and I switched places. I sped down below and delivered a powerful roundhouse that disoriented the Fallen as BurningGreymon dealt a secondary barrage to wound him even further.

I flashed past him, this time firing my fin funnels at the Fallen, only for his eye to flash red and I cried out as I was sent falling to the ground below. BurningGreymon heard my scream and ceased his attack, flying down towards me as fast as he could. I saw him coming as he extended a three-fingered hand. I thrust my own hand out towards his, and our hands clasped. He spread his wings and pulled me out of the Fallen's way as he dropped like a rock towards the ground. My fin funnels followed me as I was pulled aside, and we both watched as he slammed into the ground, releasing a cloud of dust that was visible even by satellite.

The two of us hovered there briefly before BurningGreymon looked at me. "You okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. Thanks," I muttered.

The Digimon nodded as he slowly started to descend.

My mind was now riddled with questions. What had happened to lead to this feud between the two? What did it have to do with this Holly girl? And which one was telling the truth?

 _That_ was the big question.

We finally touched down, and I folded my wings after I reattached my fin funnels to them.

For once, I wasn't sure what I should be feeling. Or think, for that matter. I watched as the dust cloud began to fade, and I tensed my frame for possible combat as BurningGreymon did the same thing. His blue eyes took on a feral tone as I held my fists at the ready.

The Fallen staggered out of the crater he made, his left leg slightly disjointed, giving him a limp. His right arm was dangling at his side uselessly, and his red eye flashed as he glared at us, teeth bared in hatred. "You... Damn you...!" he rasped. "I...I'll get you for this!"

"I'd like to see you try in that state!" BurningGreymon rumbled.

I nodded. "That leg though doesn't look like it will hold up," I added.

The Fallen glanced down at his wounded leg and hissed as he realized we were right. "You got lucky this time!" he growled. "But next time... you won't be so lucky!"

He fired up his Semblance and I tensed, shoving BurningGreymon to the ground as an explosion went off where I had been mere moments ago. The explosion was enough to blind us temporarily, and it also disrupted my sensors since it was so close. When I lifted my head up, the yellow-skinned Fallen was gone.

* * *

We both got back to the hotel that night and since the inn in town was destroyed, I checked into the nicer, more modern resort, and as soon as I was in my room, I was out like a light in recharge.

And actually, it was much nicer than that dingy inn I stayed in briefly. (I also learned later on that the Mousekewitz family was staying there too, but more on that later.) I felt a lot more at home in a modern place than an old fashioned hotel.

I woke up in the morning, with light streaming in through the windows of the hotel. I sat up, throwing the covers off my frame and flared my wings as I got out of bed. The good news was that I didn't feel any real discomfort in my joints, as the bed was more comfortable and actually had real warm covers on it. I arched my wings, feeling the relief of having slept in a proper bed surge through my frame.

The first thing I did after my stretch was take a look around the room.

Unlike that small inn in Green River, this room had a modern TV mounted on the wall and a kitchenette for cooking meals, not that I needed to, really. A bathroom was off to the side and it had a real working shower and toilet. There was a bookshelf filled with stories about the Old West, ranging from futuristic sci-fi to historical fiction, a wide variety that was sure to keep anyone entertained. A computer keyboard was connected to the TV for internet surfing. In terms of décor, the walls were paneled nicely with oak and stucco, which was what the whole hotel was made out of, really. The carpeting was decorated with Indian symbols, and on the walls were a few pictures of Old West scenes from some popular movies that accurately depicted life out on the final frontier.

And the whole place had electricity from a solar panel farm not too far from the town itself.

I was impressed and grateful that they gave me a room free of charge.

I exited the room a few minutes later, deciding to take the time to check up on Tiger and Agunimon.

The Warrior of Flame's room was just two doors down, ironically. So I went there first. I knocked on the door, wondering if he was asleep or awake.

I got my answer a moment later when the door opened. His blonde hair was a mess, but he was indeed awake. He rubbed one of his eyes sleepily. "What?" he grumped.

"Sorry if I woke you," I apologized. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore," was all he said. "That fight took a lot out of me."

I knew how he felt, as my own energy levels had been depleted during that battle. But in actuality, it wasn't as bad as it could've been.

"Believe me, I feel the same," I remarked. "Mind if I come in?"

He shook his head as he let me in.

"So, what's up?" he asked as he shut the door.

"Just wanted to check up and see how you were doing," I said.

"Well, as you can see, I'm fine," Agunimon said as he walked over to the fridge and pulled out some milk and a bagel. "I just wish I could say the same for Tiger."

"You saw him this morning?" I asked.

The Warrior of Flame nodded as he popped the bagel into the microwave. "Yep. He seems to be doing a bit better, but his wound's still bleeding a lot. The med staff thinks it may be because of some kind of poison, and so they put in a call to the hospital."

I nodded. "Good thinking."

Agunimon took a seat and glanced at me. "But from what he told me this morning... I'm beginning to suspect that maybe those ruins you found him in may hold some answers as to whether or not what you saw, and what he told you, is true."

I hummed to myself, remembering what I had told Agunimon on our way back to the hotel. "Maybe. And I think that those ruins have more than just secret records to hide..."

* * *

 **Name: Suezo**

 **Race: Genetically ENgineered Organism/Fallen**

 **Aura: Blood red**

 **Semblance: Eye See You**

 **Description: Suezo is capable of creating explosions by firing a laser from his eye at the enemy. The laser doesn't do damage itself; it's the impact that causes the explosion. Sometimes he can even create a delayed reaction time explosion, like a landmine or grenade. However, if he gets injured in his eye, he can't use it.**

 **Weapon: N/A**


	35. Arc II - Hunt for Truth

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: _The Denver Bullet and Denver Shadow__

 _The state capital of Colorado, Denver is known far and wide as the home of the Dragon of Denver. But this city holds more than just a mecha serving as a Huntsman._

 _As part of a trial program to export the Japanese_ Shinkansen _trains around the world, Denver has become one of those cities selected to obtain a prototype bullet train to run in their city limits, although some cities have started to expand the trains' travel distances from their home city to a slew of other stops along the way. While some cities have pulled out of the program and returned the trains to Japan, Denver and a few others have expanded their train lines to accommodate more bullet trains in the future._

 _The most notable of these train programs has become known as the Bullet Initiative, undertaken by Denver to try and expand the range of their train's travels. Of course, this has been met with extreme controversy by others, including those who argue strongly against the use of bullet trains to travel through the Darklands of America. The most controversy is from the fact that the train has no way to adjust its wheels for the different rail gauges used throughout the country. But the heads of the Regional Transportation District have insisted that the rail gauges don't matter, as the Denver bullet train has been modified to handle them through the use of a variable gauge system._

 _The Denver bullet train is run by two types of Dust, cyan and yellow, for power. The cyan Dust provides power to the engines while lightning Dust powers all the mechanical systems that are not powered by the cyan Dust. A very unique and risky method of slowing down the bullet train is known as power shunting, where all power is diverted from one engine to another, allowing the train to either back up or go forward much quicker than with standard brakes. This very system has also inspired the residents to give the train a nickname, one that has stuck with it throughout its years of service._

 _Its reputation first started after its arrival at Seattle's King Street Station, alongside the Empire Builder and other long-distance trains, during a major terrorist attack that devastated half the station and two platforms, damaging a third and starting a fire that raged for several days. The Denver Bullet, as it became known, literally dodged a brush with death as the driver at the time quickly shunted power from the front engine to the rear engine, causing it to stop abruptly and back out, just before a massive bomb planted near the station exploded._

 _Several other trains were destroyed, and damage was estimated to be in the millions, if not billions, of dollars. 400 people were killed, several hundred were wounded._

 _But the Denver Bullet survived. The only real damage the train sustained was major denting, burned metal, melted paint, and a cracked window on the front engine. The train has since become known as the Denver Bullet because of this reputation._

 _However, some time after the attack, rumors started to circulate that there was another train in Denver, one that was as black as the night itself, said to ride the rails like a phantom from the past. No one has been able to confirm or verify these rumors, and yet there have been sightings in the Wildlands as of late of a midnight colored train..._

 _Could this be the fabled Denver Shadow...?_

 _ _Close Files__

* * *

"Black projects. All I can say about them is that they are often the target of many conspiracy theorists. But sometimes they can be declassified once their mission is completed or due to times changing," TOM said as he closed down the Denver Shadow and Denver Bullet file. "Sometimes secrets kept though can be bad for people and relationships. So it's best to earn trust before telling anyone anything personal." He leaned back against his chair and pressed a button on the arm rest.

* * *

 _ **(** The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 _ **(** The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight** ( _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Hunt for Truth**

* * *

The ruins were just as I remembered them.

Desolate, destroyed, and overcome with dust and sand.

Kind of like how I was starting to feel.

I was lost and needed answers as to whom I could trust.

Either Tiger or that Fallen was telling the truth.

And I suspected that these ruins held the answer.

I slowly made my way in through the same hole I had entered when fleeing from Rattlesnake Jake. The memories made me shudder against my will, my armor rattling against my metallic hide. I ignored it though and finally slipped through.

Only to be greeted with the blackness from before. I flicked on my helm-mounted lights, the pale beams shining through the pitch black with ease.

My light shone on the same pictograms from before, displaying the same battle and images from prior. I could still see the images clearly. I walked closer to them and started studying them.

This time I started from the left. The left carvings depicted the ruins in their heyday, and much to my surprise they showed an entire base in operation. Oh, sure I had suspected it was a base from when I saw all those weapons in the armory, but this only confirmed it. The images showed the base fully staffed by humans, Faunus, Mobians, and those strange creatures. The leader of them was a young man with a red cap on his head, messy brown hair and bright eyes. He stood beside a cluster of those creatures, mostly the blue-furred one and the eyeball on a stalk. With him were a small pink creature, a real rock golem, and a rabbit. But beside the eyeball was a human woman. She wore around her neck a green stone of sorts.

But that wasn't all. The base appeared fully operational in these images, equipped with guns and defenses that matched what we possessed today. And much to my surprise, several satellite dishes were shown on top of some of the buildings. Fighter jets, tanks, ships... This place had been state of the art back then.

Runes and pictograms that were undecipherable lined these carvings, telling a story I couldn't read. But the images more than made up for it.

The next set of carvings further right showed the base mobilizing as a battle began. I could only guess that this was the battle that brought it to its demise.

The battle, as before, showed Grimm, humans, Faunus, and Mobians clashing as were the creatures from before. The only thing was that here the carvings were crumbling, no doubt from age. So it was hard to make out the outcome of the fight. The carvings at the far end of the wall had collapsed, so that was not good. I grunted in frustration as I punched one of the other walls.

"Dammit!" I muttered.

Of all the times I needed information, there was nothing. Not even the ruins held answers.

At least I assumed.

"... _truth..._ "

I jerked my head up, the voice having whispered so close to my right audio receptor. I whirled around, my optics scanning for any sign of the speaker.

But there was no one there. At least at first glance there wasn't.

However, my psychoframe tingled, letting me know of a presence with me.

"Hello?" I called.

Yet there was no answer.

I slowly made my way out of the main entryway into the closest corridor. The presence seemed to be following me. Or was it guiding me? I didn't know.

There was just so much I didn't know anymore.

I continued to make my way down the corridor, my optics scanning for anything that could be an indicator of the presence or... who knew what was going on?

I finally stopped in the middle of the hallway and just stood there. "What do I do now?" I whispered.

The last thing I expected was to feel an intense pain in my processor as my psychoframe kicked into overdrive. I cried out as I collapsed, my vision becoming flooded with static and barcode as I clutched at my helm, trying to remove the pain. But it wasn't possible without prying out my own processor. I gripped the sides of my helmet, crying out in agony before I finally collapsed onto my chest, blissful unconsciousness sweeping up and carrying me away into oblivion.

* * *

 _"Wake up..."_

'Ugh...'

 _"Wake up...!"_

'Mghm...'

 _"Wake up!"_

 _The last thing I expected was to get a slap across the faceplate. And a harsh one at that._

 _I yelped as my optics flashed online, my hand flying for the spot where I had gotten slapped._

 _"The hell?!" I blurted._

 _"Sorry, but you weren't waking up, so I had no choice," a female voice said._

 _My optics flashed as I abruptly sat up, my head looking left and right to try and find the speaker..._

 _Only to find her perched just inches from my faceplate. I yelped and scooted back, my wings arching on instinct into a defensive manner, but she just cocked an eyebrow._

 _The girl before me was a redhead, that much I could see. She wore a white shirt with a brown vest and red tie, but a skirt of sorts with sneakers or boots on her feet. It seemed to me that she didn't really have a defined lower body, and the thought made me shudder against my will, my armor rattling against my frame. She cocked her head before she seemed to get the message and sighed. "Oh, right. I guess I should explain things," she began._

 _"Such as how I got here, and where I am?" I asked harshly._

 _The girl held up her hands. "Just calm down. And take a look around," she said gently._

 _I wasn't too keen on doing so, but I did anyway._

 _And I was surprised to find myself not in the ruins, but in my own house. My optics flashed in shock as I whirled around to look at her._

 _"This isn't even real," she said, gesturing to our surroundings. "It's an image that I plucked from your memory files so we'd be more comfortable. Being adrift in the Nether is not something any human, mortal or not, can handle."_

 _I was confused as to what the Nether was, but I brushed it aside as she lowered her hands and 'stood up', so to speak. I also got to my feet._

 _"So, where am I, and how did I get here?" I asked her._

 _The girl turned to look at me, but didn't answer the question. "First off, it's rude to not introduce yourself," she scolded me. I huffed, but nodded in agreement._

 _"Okay. My name's Joseph Matthews, but people call me Dracon for my appearance," I told her. "And you?"_

 _"My name is Holly," the girl said, holding out a hand._

 _That name got me. I was on my feet in a flash, my hands flying to her shoulders. "Then you can tell me what happened!" I blurted._

 _Holly's eyes went wide as she pulled herself free from my hands. "Take it easy!" she remarked. "I'll explain everything, I promise! Just calm down and take it easy."_

 _I wasn't too sure, but something was indeed telling me to take it easy. I backed off and took in a breath before letting it out through my vents. "Sorry. It's just... I'm so confused as to what to believe... Especially as I heard it from two different sources: a wolf-like creature named Tiger of the Wind, and a creature with a big eye and a huge build..."_

 _Holly's eyes narrowed as a frown appeared on her face. "I see... Well, take a seat. I'll explain everything."_

 _I looked around before I sat down on the couch. It felt real enough to me, despite being a mere projection from my memory banks._

 _"First, as to where you are, it's simple: You're in the Nether. The Nether is a place where the souls of the deceased go once their physical bodies expire or are destroyed. It's basically what you would call the afterlife," she explained. "And as I said before, no human, even you, can handle even seeing it. Just a mere glimpse could cause one to go insane. So to interact within the Nether, there must be an artificial construct around the person's soul."_

 _I was still confused, but it also made sense... well, sort of._

 _"As for how you got here, I called you here," Holly continued. "I sensed your presence. It is truly unique, neither flesh and blood, nor metal and wires. You are a one of a kind individual, Joseph. Anyway, I reached out and your..." She merely gestured to my psychoframe. "...whatever it is, responded."_

 _"You mean my psychoframe?" I asked._

 _Holly nodded. "Yes. It responded when I called out to you, and well... here you are."_

 _"Right..." Somehow I didn't buy it, but at the same time it did seem to be the only logical conclusion._

 _So I just went with it._

 _Holly finally shifted as she 'sat down', so to speak. "Now, you want to know what happened, right?"_

 _"Yes!" I blurted as I leaned forward._

 _The girl nodded. "Very well. But in order to learn truly, you must witness it..."_

 _Before I even could ask what she meant, her hand lashed out and placed itself on my forehead, and then a flash erupted from my psychoframe, and I felt this...sensation and then my vision flickered as I blacked out a second time._

* * *

 ** _Loud explosions hit my hearing as my optics finally came online. That was the first thing I saw in front and around me. I reacted purely on instinct and dove to the side, my fin funnels deploying and erecting the 360 degree prism barrier. I had never felt so glad to have them until now, and I shifted as I slowly lifted my head._**

 ** _I was surprised to see myself in the midst of a battle zone._**

 ** _All around me I could see humans, Grimm, Faunus, Mobians, and even those strange creatures involved in fighting. The creatures, humans, Faunus, and Mobians were all intermingled, with Grimm interspersed between them all._**

 ** _And the fighting was taking place at the foot of a massive military installation._**

 ** _The buildings there towered fifteen stories above the earth, and some of them were already bombed out or reduced to rubble. Smaller buildings remained intact, and off to the side was a large plateau that had a massive entrance covered by a battered metallic door. It looked more like a parking garage, but something told me it was far from that._**

 _"Here is where it all began."_

 ** _I jerked as I heard Holly's voice from all around me. I scrambled to my feet, dispersing my fin funnels and reattaching them to my wings as I moved, running, searching for her. "Where are you?!" I called._**

 ** _But no answer came to me._**

 _"The Battle of Epsileon Base is where the Fall began. Had it not been thwarted, then perhaps the Darklands may not have formed in the land you call America. Who can tell what the future holds or what kind of history may portend from a small change? Alas, we will never know. One cannot go back in time to change the past. It is just not possible."_

 ** _I spotted a figure in the middle of the fighting, making its way towards the base command center, which I presumed the massive twenty story structure to be. It was the only one above fifteen stories. I gave chase, trying to catch up. Maybe that figure was Holly, or who knew who it was?_**

 ** _I pushed the limits of my hydraulics and frame, trying desperately to catch up to the figure. I called out as loud as I could. "HEY! HOLD UP!"_**

 ** _But they didn't stop._**

 ** _I growled to myself as I crouched and leapt off the battle-scarred ground, kicking on my flight pack and spreading my wings._**

 _"The fighting began that evening as soon as we spotted it. A large Grimm. Far larger than any of us had expected. It surpassed all other GENOs at the time."_

 ** _"GENOs?" I wondered aloud._**

 ** _Holly's voice seemed to sense my query and she began to explain._**

 _"GENO stands for Genetically ENgineered Organism. They existed in the early centuries of the Connected Era as household pets. But some military personnel saw them as possible military weapons, because some of their skills were applicable to the military. GENOs have been a part of Pangaean culture since its early days. As time passed, we developed more and more advanced and powerful GENOs to serve alongside our forces in battle. Some of them even formed their own cultures and societies within Pangaea, which was the superpower at the time. It made up one of five different continents, and was labeled as a supercontinent because its mass eclipsed the other four total. Our society was truly advanced, up to the point where we could make GENOs practically at will. But our progress was stunted in other areas, such as robotics and engineering."_

 ** _Her voice paused as I finally caught up to the figure. It was indeed Holly, and she was actually with a boy I had seen only in the images in the ruins. He looked a bit panicked, but more than anything he was driven, as I could see it in his eyes. He wasn't scared, so to speak, but worried and concerned._**

 _"The GENOs were as cunning as they were brutal. But when we needed them most, they came to our aid. That happened when the Black Monsters, or what you call the Grimm Horde, attacked. It happened some time after we finished a war with one of the other empires on the southern continent. The Grimm had been dormant until the Day of Tragedy. That day was when they broke through the seal that had been placed on them some five hundred years prior to the Connected Era. The seal had weakened over time, and it finally broke, shattering and thousands upon millions of Grimm came pouring out._

 _"Interestingly enough, it didn't happen in our country, but in the continent to the East of us. There was a land bridge that appeared when the moon was in just the right position, so they swarmed across that to reach Pangaea. That was when the War began. The War was the fight against the Grimm. And it lasted for two thousand years. By CE 2985, the war was at its peak. We had just developed a significant bomb to try and seal up the Black Hole, as we called it. But what we did not expect was to see someone waiting for us there._

 _"He expected us to be there. And thus he enacted the first act of the Cataclysm. Much has been lost, but some of our ruins, one of which was dubbed Andromeda City, survived."_

 ** _The boy guided Holly inside, but not before he looked back and gestured for me to come in too. Or so I thought. I heard other voices and I turned, just in time to see them followed by Tiger, the rabbit or hare, a pink bird of sorts, and a literal golem. All of them looked panicked or worried. And it was then I realized one of them was missing: that eyeball on a stalk. Had he been killed in the fighting? If so, how come I didn't see his body anywhere? Had it been destroyed? If so, by what?_**

 ** _These questions and many more swirled around in my processor. I was confused, but I was sure I'd get the answer soon enough._**

 ** _I followed after them as Holly continued to narrate._**

 _"That day the battle began at Epsileon Base was the turning point for us. The Grimm we saw... it was much larger than a GENO, and it possessed an ability unlike any other we had seen. It could literally create Grimm from its own flesh and blood."_

 _ **Holly's voice was grim, (no pun intended) and I grasped what Grimm she was referring to: the Dragon. I shot a glance up as the whole group came to a stop, their eyes wide in shock and terror as the massive Grimm spread its wings, roaring menacingly.**_

 _ **The ooze on its body dripped down, landing on the ground and, much to the surprise of the group, the shapes of many other Grimm began to emerge from those puddles. It was something I had seen all too often on the news pertaining to Grimm attacks back when I was a kid. But now, to see it up close... that was enough to give me the willies.**_

 _"Our forces at Base Epsileon had all kinds of weapons that were designed specifically to combat the Grimm Horde, utilizing a rare mineral known only as enium. Its properties were immense, ranging from enhancing metal to the use in explosives and bombs. The biggest guns though were the sixteen inch cannons mounted on the top of the main command center. Those cannons were built to take out aerial Grimm, such as the Black Raven, or the Nevermore, as you call it. But their true test was to be an obstacle for the Black Dragon. Alas..."_

 ** _The last thing I expected was to see the Dragon fire off a blast of heated flames right for the command center. My optics widened as the beast struck it, right below the main cannon which was starting to pivot to aim at the beast. But... there was no fire from the guns. All that happened was a whirring sound, barely audible over the din of combat, resonated. A sinking feeling filled my reactor and I felt a lump-like sensation forming in my throat before I gulped._**

 ** _The beast fired a second shot, this time striking the cannon and causing the twin barrels of the guns to explode. Shrapnel and body parts rained down onto the battlefield below, and the group I was with was also horrified. We all shouted at the exact same time, but by now I had come to realize that this was just a memory - a very realistic one, but a memory nonetheless._**

 _"The cannons did not fire that day. And we had no idea as to why. Yet it was much later we discovered the truth."_

 ** _I was surprised when the memory suddenly sped up, showing the passing of the battle until it came to the near end. The Grimm had been slain, but that Dragon continued to circle, generating more and more of them like a one-man army._**

 _"The base was running low on ammunition and manpower. We were getting exhausted. Our nuclear fusion reactor could not keep our defenses operational for much longer lest it overheat and go into shutdown mode. Even our advanced technology could not allow for constant use of the defenses. In effect, we were being ground down. The one behind it was someone we had never expected to see, for he was beyond us. His eyes were as red as blood... and his skin as pale as snow. His abilities outclassed even our mightiest GENOs. And with him..."_

 _ **It was then I saw him.**_

 _ **His eyes were pure red with black sclera, and his skin was as pale as snow, with black and purple veins. His hair was blood red, and it went down to the middle of his back. His clothing seemed to be made from the darkness itself, and was it... moving?**_

 _ **I forced that from my thoughts as I spotted another figure: the very same one I had seen back at the hotel.**_

 _ **Huge at ten feet six or something like that, big and muscular, arms and legs as round as trees, thick hands and feet, one red eye, yellow flesh and black and purple veins.**_

 _ **Him.**_

 _ **My vocalizer failed to form a single word, but Holly said what was exactly on my mind.**_

 _"Him. Once a friend of ours, now turned into an enemy. Suezo, my closest friend, had evolved to become a Fallen. None of us knew it at the time, so what happened was I went out to try and find him, fearing the worst."_

 ** _I watched as the base doors opened and Holly emerged from it, running as fast as she could, darting around fallen soldiers and Grimm alike. Her hands were cupped around her mouth as she called out for her friend and partner. "Suezo! Suezo!"_**

 ** _Behind her came Tiger, his amber eyes filled with worry and panic as he gave chase._**

 ** _The two of them sped throughout the debris strewn field, looking left and right for the eyeball on a stalk, Suezo. But unfortunately, they couldn't find him. It was like he never even existed._**

 ** _And then it happened._**

 _"He attacked us."_

 ** _Her voice was filled with sadness and grief, her tone adding to the mood of the battle around me._**

 _"_ _He came and attacked us. I tried to call out to him, but alas... he didn't hear me. He had become too addicted to the power he held in his hands. And it terrified me. How could my beloved friend, after all these years, turn on me? And for what purpose? I demanded to know. But he didn't answer. He struck me down."_

 _ **I watched as Suezo proceeded to kill her, or more like wound her. In his power-addled brain, he refused to recognize the girl before him. He was high on power. And all he cared about was getting more of it. I had seen this all too often in my career so far. And it worried me to death.**_

 _ **Tiger on the other hand was enraged. He went on the attack, driving back Suezo, but the newly born Fallen was not about to give up. He attacked the wolf GENO with brutality that could only be fitting to a monster. My psychoframe resonated with my feelings and I wished I could do something, get involved, anything! But I couldn't.**_

 _ **The memory finally came to an end when Tiger managed to force the Fallen/GENO to retreat. Not because of his wounds, but because of how few Grimm remained for him to use.**_

 _ **I looked over as the wolf GENO proceeded to lick her wounds, but he himself had not escaped unscathed: a large gash cut across his chest, and he looked as if he were going to pass out at any moment.**_

 _ **I suddenly felt a strange sensation as my mind blanked out...**_

* * *

 _And I found myself back in the projection of my house._

 _My optics had come back online abruptly after the memory faded, and I was disoriented from the transition, so I shook my helm to try and dispel the dizziness that threatened to overcome me. "Glob... That's disorienting..." I muttered._

 _Holly removed her hand from my helm and lowered it. "I am sorry I had to do that," she apologized, "but it was the only way for you to see what really happened that day."_

 _I honestly didn't know what to say as she looked me in the optics. "So that's what happened..." I murmured._

 _Holly nodded. "Yes. And it is indeed the truth. Suezo wounded me and left me to die. And I_ did _die. He doesn't know that he did me in, though..." She looked down at her hands and flexed them. "I...If only..."_

 _I wasn't sure on how to react to her despair. I slowly reached out a hand, only to hesitate before I made to put it on her shoulder. However, like I had suspected, it phased through her shoulder and I sighed. Ghosts just couldn't be touched._

 _"I'm sorry... I just wish there was something I could do..." I muttered sadly. "I mean..." I shrugged helplessly._

 _Holly looked up at me with a sad smile. "It's very nice of you to offer, but it's too late for me," she murmured. "I'm dead. So now all I can do is hope and pray to God that you find a way to get through to Suezo."_

 _"Like I can..." I grumbled, looking down at my hands and clenching them. "He firmly believes that Tiger killed you! I saw it! It's like..." I mentally gritted my teeth as I drove a metal fist into the floor. Since it was an illusion, it should've passed through. But instead I felt this intense throbbing in my hand and I yelped, pulling it back and rubbing it. "Geez!" I muttered. "What happened there?!"_

 _The girl giggled. "I did tell you about the need for a physical structure to shield mortal eyes in the Nether~!" she sang teasingly. "So it's much stronger than usual."_

 _"I noticed..." I grumbled as I flexed my hand a bit._

 _"Anyway, I do appreciate your thinking of me, but it's too late for me," Holly repeated, bringing me back on track. "I just want you to find a way to reach Suezo, or barring that, a way to bring him down. For my sake..."_

 _I nodded. "I'll do my best, but that's all I can promise," I told her._

 _The girl smiled. "Thank you... I am very grateful, Joseph..."_

 _She started to fade away as my vision grew fuzzy and my frame began to slump forwards. Fear suddenly jolted through me, making me struggle to stay online and awake. But my mind was feeling drowsy, like I could barely think. And yet I was also still aware... Or... was... I...?_

 _Blackness came up to greet me and I fell into its warm embrace._

* * *

My processor was pounding when I came to.

That was the first thing I felt - literally! It was like a drumbeat was pulsing inside my head. I groaned and slowly pushed myself to my hands and knees as the static faded from my vision. Around me I could see the battered and collapsing ruins of the old base, rubble and debris littering the hallway around me. It didn't actually seem much different that before, really.

I shook my head before I staggered to my feet, my psychoframe's glow shimmering dimly in the darkness of the base. "Okay... That was just plain _weird_!" I remarked. "What was that I just experienced?"

I slowly cast my gaze around, finally sighing. "At least now I know what really happened..." I muttered.

But one thing still niggled at me. What has caused the base's cannons to malfunction? Had someone sabotaged it? And if so... why? What did they have to gain from it? Those questions swirled around in my processor before I finally gave up. I could find out later. Right now, I needed to find Suezo and try to get him to see reason, or take him down. As well as find out if Wile E. Coyote was indeed a Fallen or not. _And_ find a way to take down Grandma Stuffum and expose her operations here.

I had three new objectives, and I knew which one came first: Take down Grandma Stuffum. The secondary objective was to find and take down Suezo or get him to see reason, and the third was to find out about Wile being a possible Fallen.

A fourth objective popped into my processor at that point: to find out what Cat R. Waul had going on at this place that led to so many ghosts appearing and the deaths of all those young mouse Mobians.

"Okay. Time to get outta here and start poking around for clues!" I muttered.

I turned and bolted for the exit, unaware of the girl's ghost watching me with a content smile on her face, knowing she was about to see her friend be freed or put down mercifully.

The time to make it out was not as bad as I had feared. And it proved to be just in time for the final event of the Cowboy Tournament, as well.

The town's remaining buildings were still standing tall, the only one that had been burnt to the ground being the old inn. The rest had been saved by the quick thinking of the fire department that had been based inside the hospital for such an emergency. (Actually, it made sense, seeing as how most of these old buildings were wood and all. But to have them take up residence inside the hospital? Why couldn't they just build a fire department and disguise it? I guess it must've been for ease of logistics, which makes sense to me, now that I think about it in hindsight.) Anyway, the rest of the buildings were intact, and Cat R. Waul was outside the saloon as the crowd gathered, eagerly awaiting the next event.

"Honored guests and competitors alike!" he called, just as I scrambled into the crowd and took up a place next to Sylvester.

"Where were you?" he asked in a harsh whisper. "Cat'sth justht getting thingsth sthtarted!"

"Sorry. I had something to think about," I said softly. "But I'm here now."

The cat Mobian rolled his eyes but let it slide as we returned our attention to Cat.

"It is my great pleasure to announce the last of the events for the Cowboy Tournament!" Cat declared. "The Train Robbery! This final event will be putting all the remaining competitors, of which only twenty remain, to the test! You will be allowed to use whatever weapons, Aura, or Semblance you have on your person, no matter what it may be! The objective is to prevent the train from being robbed by bandits as it makes its way into our quaint little town. However, if you fail, you are kicked out of the Tournament, and left with no prize. The last three standing will be named first, second, and third place victors, accordingly."

My optics dimmed a shade as I spotted Wile E. Coyote off to the side, flexing his hands as he adjusted the backpack on his back before turning his masked gaze to me. He sneered before he turned back to face Cat.

"Now the train is located a ways out, so you must travel to where it rests before making your way back to the town of Green River. But be warned: bandits are around!" Cat stated, throwing open his cape dramatically. I had to resist the urge to punch his lights out because of it. Instead, I just clenched my fists, my fingers digging into my palms.

"Those of you who have traveled on horseback will be permitted to ride your same mounts, unless you choose something more accommodating for your person," he added, fixing his gaze on me in particular before roving his eyes over the crowd. "It is your choice, my friends."

The announcement completed, we split off into groups. Some of the remaining competitors were forging alliances, and others were no doubt plotting to betray their allies for the glory of first place. I wasn't too keen on that, so I looked to Sylvester. "You still up for working together?" I asked.

"Of coursthe!" the cat remarked. "I'd rather work with sthomeone I can trustht than that sthleezeball Wile!"

A chuckle escaped my vocalizer at that. "True on that one!" I joked.

Of course, the event was only the first step in what would soon be a rude awakening for me... in the worst way possible.


	36. Arc II - Robbery

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Tyger Wallace_

 _Tyger Wallace is a former member of Satyra, now turned vigilante, who grew disillusioned with their ways, after seeing how diplomacy and advocacy can secure better results than acting like bullies. He was once a prominent member, but after an attack on a group of children led to several deaths, he began to see how harsh they were being, and decided to take action against them. He stopped joining in the attacks, and started leaking tips to the law enforcement in several cities, one of which was Denver. The Denver Police Department was tipped off sometime in late 20XX around Christmas Day, when the Faunus terrorist group was planning to launch an attack at the Denver International Airport. The police swarmed the scene just as one of the bombers was about to detonate the package he was carrying, and with the assistance of the Dragon of Denver, they were able to subdue the attackers and cart them off to jail._

 _After Tyger left Satyra, he went on a spree of vigilantism until he was spotted and recruited by Cat R. Waul and his cohorts. However, upon learning of the disappearances of mouse Mobian children, Tyger began to become disillusioned with Cat as well. He has since left the gang and seeks to make amends for his actions as a terrorist and potential murderer by bringing those kids of people to justice._

 _His Semblance, Burpee, is useful as a launching mechanism for ascending tall structures, as a defensive barrier and an offensive ability. However, it does leave him at risk for ulcers. He has also been known to carry a submachine gun that fires Dust-laced rounds._

 _ _Close Files__

* * *

"Cults. They are perhaps the most dangerous kind of groups out there. But what defines a cult? Is it strictly religious? Or can they be a possible front for political movements?" TOM asked as he closed the Tyger file. "Truthfully, the answer is that a cult can be both, not just one or another. In some cases, cults can be the basis for a religion and a political movement in one. In some realities, they can become political parties, and in others they can become methods for recruitment in religious warfare. But in all cases, the people who are involved usually are cut off from friends and family, seeing that the cult is the only thing that matters. Or something like that. Cults are dangerous things to be involved in. If a club starts to sever your connections to those you love, then get out. It is not always as perfect as it seems."

He pressed a button on his chair's armrest and leaned back. "So think and do your research into groups that sound too good to be true. It just may save your life one day."

* * *

 _ **(** The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 _ **(** The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology_ far _more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke **)**_

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight** ( _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Robbery**

* * *

I had to admit I wasn't too sure about this.

I mean, I still had to find out if Grandma Stuffum _was_ behind the disappearing mouse Mobian children. And on top of that I needed to know what Cat's role was in all this. As well as Wile E. Coyote's allegiance, etc. There was just so much I needed, and I was getting a bit overwhelmed by this. But I still had to try. The last event was coming up, and the only thing was I needed to find a new motorcycle or hope that the one I had used during the herding event was fixed up. Personally, I wasn't too sure if it _was_ fixed. But I decided to hope anyway.

Me and Sylvester milled around close to the horse stables and the ATV rental center, which proved to be a good thing as we soon were approached by the same lady who had given us our mounts during the herding event. She handed me the keys to the bike, which had been repaired by now. The rest of the competitors were to get their mounts later in the day, so that meant me and Sylvester would be given somewhat of a break to figure out a plan to defend the train. That meant that we had to try and find it to try and get it to safety.

After we were saddled up, figuratively, of course, we headed out. I wasn't exactly sure as to where the train was, but I suggested to Sylvester that we follow the train tracks. Judging from what Cat had said, it made sense. Yet the main issue there was we had no idea as to _which_ direction the train lay in. In the end, we decided to go away from the town more towards the city of Los Alamos. At least according to the map, anyway. The decision turned out to be a sound one in the end, anyway. I was surprised by the fact that we had found it, just by pure chance, really.

The train lay hunched over on the tracks, its engine already building up steam. I could see the smoke curling up from its stack, and the whistle was blowing as it lingered there, waiting for its guards to come and guide it to safety. I expanded my radar so I could keep an eye out for any bandits or Grimm that would attack it. And for good reason, too: this part of the Wildlands was known for its proximity to the Darklands. And the Grimm tended to swarm in this area due to the hostility of the bandits. And Yosemite Sam didn't help, either.

Actually, he was the main reason Grimm attacked here. His attacks on trains and convoys always led to losses and in some cases, the deaths of his hostages. He wasn't one to be tangled with under any circumstances unless one was a Class IV or V Huntsman. (Actually, it was a lot worse considering that the feelings of rage and anger that people felt when they learned of a lost loved one drew Grimm to this area, making it the Dead Zone, as some people called it.)

Anyway, me and Sylvester came to a halt beside the old train, and we made camp for the evening. The train wasn't set to move until dawn the next morning, which would hopefully give the others some time to catch up and reach our location. I watched as the rest of the group began to arrive, one after another, some time around eight that evening. I could see Wile coming in on his horse, that grey backpack positioned on his back. I wasn't sure why, but something told me to be on high alert around that guy. My wings twitched as we decided to set up a watch for the evening. Well, me and Sylvester did. The cat decided to take the first watch, and I was to take the second shift.

I conked out for a few hours, during which there was nothing that happened, at least from what Sylvester told me. But when I took the second shift, that was when the robbery event began.

I was sitting next to my bike, my sensors set to maximum range and my radar going in the corner of my vision. I was keeping an eye on it, and so far it seemed like it would be an uneventful shift. Actually, it wasn't too bad, considering we had some powerful competition on our side, namely Amy Rose, who was busy watching for any bandits with that hammer of hers held on her shoulder. Her eyes flicked left and right, her slim body tense for an attack that could come at any time. Off to her side stood another Mobian, one that looked a lot like a bulldog breed.

I knew him to be one of the Spikes, a clan of bulldog Mobians who considered themselves an anti-Satyra unit. And it made perfect sense, as they tended to disperse the group before any attacks could truly be carried out. While their group was seen as noble, the fact they resorted to violence as well often lumped them into the same category as the terrorist group. That made things more difficult, as it was the Faunus supremacist group that led to all kinds of troubles between the humans and Faunus. The Spikes were just another wrench in the plan to try and have Faunus attain equal rights. And to me, the Vist Foundation were the only ones who were even making any progress, despite setbacks from Satyra. In all honesty though, the Foundation was finding their efforts thwarted as the terrorists often set them back by two steps. For every success, they were knocked back two steps.

And it made me frustrated.

But right at the moment, I had other things to worry about. Such as keeping an eye out for any bandits.

And Grimm.

My optics scanned left and right, but so far nothing was visible.

At least until fifteen minutes into my watch.

It was then that my radar started to blare inside my head and I was on my feet, scanning for anything coming our way.

In the corner of my vision, the radar screen was filling up with red dots: the sign of enemies. I could also see figures starting to come close to us, riding horses or bikes of their own design. I hissed through my vents and grabbed my beam pistols as I launched my fin funnels. This time, I was not holding back.

I shot a glance at the sleeping Mobian and I sent a Dracon funnel to jab him in the back, enough to wake him, but not cause any injury. Sylvester groaned as he turned over, coming face to face with it. His eyes widened as he scurried back with a yelp.

"Sorry to scare ya, but we got trouble!" I called as he glanced at me to shoot a glare my way. "Bandits are en route to our position!"

That was all it took to get him up.

The cat's eyes flashed as he grabbed his shotgun and cocked it. "Banditsth, huh?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Bandits," I confirmed. Beside me I could sense the others getting up as well, mostly those that had been sleeping. Weapons were primed and held at the ready while Aura and Semblances flared into existence. I saw Amy hefting her hammer as Spike, the bulldog with the collar on, clenched his fists and a swirling grey Aura enveloped his fists. I noticed Wile was also ready for action, his backpack seeming to pulse briefly before he sneered.

I gulped briefly before I shook myself back to reality.

Behind us the train's horn blasted and the wheels began to move, steam coming out of its stack as it started to inch its way down the track. That was our cue. Most of the remaining competitors mounted up and I got on my bike. I started the engine and I pivoted it around to face the direction the train was going. I gunned the engine before I released the brake and accelerated, my cloak whipping around my frame as I hunched over the bike's dashboard and behind the windshield. My optics dimmed a shade as I kept pace with the slowly accelerating train. I cast a quick glance at it, noticing at once that there were passengers sitting in their seats, and they looked as if they were finely dressed. A low growl escaped my vocalizer. Oh yeah. These guys were dressed in their finest. My wings twitched as I studied them, noticing how they were nonchalantly ignoring the danger just outside the wooden train carriages. I was so tempted to just shout at them to pay attention, but they no doubt wouldn't hear me, the train's noise was that loud.

But what I did see was that bandits were starting to swarm, and I recognized one of them right off the bat, having seen him in the news more than once: Yosemite Sam. His red hair was a standout to the darkness around us. And he was riding a bike similar to mine.

"Dammit!" I swore. "Yosemite Sam's out!"

The rogue Huntsman sneered as he came up alongside me, taking note of my appearance. A sneer crossed his face. "Well, if it isn't the Dragon of Denver! This'll be good!" he chuckled.

"You're not getting this train!" I growled back.

"Oh, I will be, varmint!" the gunman chuckled. "And there ain't anything ye can do about it!"

"We'll see!" I muttered.

The redheaded gunman grabbed a pistol and pulled it out of his holster, aiming it right for my chest and cocking it. A sneer crossed his face as his eyes glinted. Beside me I could detect that the train was increasing in speed, and I gunned my bike's engine, increasing my own speed. Further back, my radar was picking up the rest of the competitors - marked in blue, bandits in red - catching up to us. I mentally gritted my teeth as I glanced at where Yosemite Sam was riding close to me, and I swerved to the right, trying to ram his bike with my own... or rather I tried to hit him with a beam tonfa, but he pulled away and fired off a shot at my arm joint. I shifted and the bullet struck my frame, bouncing off without as much as a scratch. Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration but it didn't leave much of a mark; just a small scuff, really. Something like that could easily be buffed out.

I forced the thought from my mind though as I fired off a few rounds from my head Vulcans; sure the hat would be ruined, but it was worth it in my book, as the rounds missed Yosemite Sam, but they did force him to back off, which was what I wanted to begin with.

At least now I had some breathing room.

I glanced back, noticing that Sylvester was catching up on his own horse. And right behind him was a buxom woman wearing a sleeveless tank top and shorts that clung to her legs nicely. Her eyes, however, held a familiar look in them I knew all too well: determination and focus, something only Nick Mallory had. A mental smirk crossed through my processor as I realized what must've happened: he possessed that competitor, remaining observant and silent until the right time to strike. I knew Nick a lot better than she realized, mostly because I had worked with her for four years. Anyway, Nick was coming up behind Sylvester, keeping her gaze locked onto Yosemite Sam, as well as Wile E. Coyote. I shot a glance back ahead at the coyote Mobian, and as he looked back with a sneer, his mask's lenses flashed... a red color.

A shock raced through my psychoframe, causing my processor to twinge rather painfully and I almost lost focus on the task at hand. (Thankfully it wasn't too bad.) I regained myself though and returned to my mission. But that red flash... it had not been normal. And now that I thought about it... only Fallen had eyes that flashed red in their anger or with other emotions. My optics dimmed a shade as I realized that maybe Sylvester was on to something. Something big.

The cat Mobian looked in my direction as I shot a glance at him. His brown eyes met my violet optics, and then it happened.

A sense of something filled my processor before Sylvester's voice echoed in my thoughts. ' _Sthee what I mean, Dracon?_ '

The presence faded as quickly as it came, and I yelped in mild surprise. "Whoa...! What just happened there?" I muttered to myself.

I shook my helm and forced myself to forget the odd situation, however, it still niggled at me. Regardless, I returned my gaze to Wile as he spurred his horse into a gallop.

Off to the side, Yosemite Sam's eyes narrowed as he aimed one gun with his free hand and his dark brown Aura flared into existence. "All right, varmints! You ain't gonna stop me from getting this loot!"

"Not gonna happen!" I growled, aiming a beam pistol at him. I fired, sending a shot for one of his bike's tires, but he dodged it and started firing like crazy. At once I grasped what he was intending on doing. His Semblance was something I had to watch out for, and so I launched my fin funnels, forming them into their barrier configuration as the bullets struck the energy barrier as it formed. I wasn't too surprised, but at the same time it gave me a sense of worry and pause. His Semblance, Gun-ho Gunslinger, was a very dangerous one, as it allowed him to hit his targets despite shooting like a maniac. I was for once just glad I had my fin funnels.

Anyway, I fired off a few more shots from my beam pistol, but his Aura deflected the worst of the shots, and the worst part was, I didn't even get a hit in on his bike's rear tire. He just gunned it and my shot missed.

Beside us the train continued on down the tracks, and off to my left I could sense a few more bandits approaching from the other side. Gunshots and other sounds of weapons echoed past the carriages, and I mentally gritted my teeth. I had to do something, and soon.

Yosemite's eyes glinted as he fired off a barrage right for me, but I kept my barrier up as the shots struck it again and again. "Dammit!" I muttered. "Not good!"

As it was, I couldn't exactly aim my beam burst gun while riding, and my beam pistols could only do so much.

What I didn't expect was to see the same female competitor - Nick - throw something in my direction. "Catch!" she called.

I glanced up, confused as to why she was calling out to me, and then I saw what she had thrown. A gleaming silver gun, complete with rotary grenade launcher...

My beam magnum!

I gunned the bike's engine and sped past a few other started competitors and bandits, my hand reaching out to grab the trigger and handgrip. My hand curled around it and as soon as I had that familiar gun in my grasp, I whipped my gun arm around, a smirk appearing in my violet optics. "Now you're in for it!" I sneered.

Yosemite Sam growled as he bared his teeth. "So what? You ain't gonna do much even with a new fancy gun!"

"Try me!" I purred. I pulled the trigger and the gun shuddered in my grasp, emitting that ever familiar hum. As soon as I felt it shuddering from the power, I released the trigger, letting the charged shot loose from its barrel. The beam struck the ground in front of Yosemite, and his eyes widened as he swerved, barely staying on his bike.

"Gonna try and stop me now?" I taunted.

"Dracon! Be careful! Don't get cocky!" Nick shouted through the voice of the host.

I knew what she was getting at, but I couldn't help it. It just felt so good to have a weapon I was more familiar with in my hands at this point, I could've cared less.

The rogue Huntsman narrowed his eyes before he let loose with another barrage, enhanced by his Semblance. I growled to myself as I finally decided to ditch the bike, seeing as how it was now becoming harder to maneuver since I had a bigger gun in my hand. I sprang off the vehicle and left it as I spread my wings and kicked on my flight pack. The sensation of weightlessness in my lower torso was enough to let me know I was airborne. I willed my fin funnels to reattach to my wings and I spun my beam magnum before I aimed it again, this time flying alongside the train. My optics glimmered as I fired a few shots from it, this time striking a few of his buddies and forcing them to peel off. I shot a glance back at Sylvester who's eyes were narrowed as he fired his shotgun from the back of his horse. I had to admit, he was good with that gun. Well, given how he was a gunman himself, it made sense.

Regardless, my magnum was enough to keep Yosemite and his goons off our backs. Wile E. Coyote on the other hand, was far from impressed. I could sense it. He looked back at me and the lenses on his mask flared red, the same color as a Fallen's eyes. And that was starting to creep me out. Or rather, it was starting to make my psychoframe act up. I felt that familiar twinge in my processor, and then it was gone. As he sneered at me, I could see his backpack starting to shift and change... with what looked like fin funnels unfolding from it.

 _That_ was unexpected. "Holy...!" I breathed.

Wile's sneer grew wider as he launched all of his fin funnels, their reddish beams lancing out and striking both bandit and competitor alike. I grunted as I swerved left and right, but some beams nicked my armor. It was just as well that I was airborne, as Yosemite's bike was clipped and he wound up tumbling to the ground, rolling and coming to a stop as the rest of his gang continued on.

My optics flared as I glanced at the coyote Mobian. I focused my scanners on him and started searching for anything that marked a Fallen: the veins would no doubt be hidden beneath his fur, but not from my sensors. And the energy signature was also a giveaway. Actually, I was kind of surprised I hadn't picked up on it when I first encountered him. But then again, Fallen did have uncanny powers, so who's to say they couldn't conceal their energy signatures as well?

And I felt that sinking feeling in my reactor as soon as the results of the scan came up.

There was indeed that signature I knew all too well by this point: it was not entirely organic.

It was half Grimm, half Mobian.

A jolt raced through my frame as I realized that Sylvester had been right. Wile E. Coyote _was_ a Fallen! And the first ever Mobian Fallen to boot.

My wings bristled as I glanced down at the few competitors as they avoided the barrage of beams from Wile's funnels and the bandits. In actuality, this was now starting to resemble a free-for-all, not a tournament event. And it was starting to bother me. What was Wile planning?

* * *

 _Her eyes gleamed as she held up her wand._

 _A harsh tongue began to emerge from her throat, the tip of her wand shimmering with ancient magics long forgotten in the modern world. She waved her wand around, the pot on which she had placed her spell boiling and the contents moving and gushing. She could hear the gurgling of speech, only for it to fade as the construct was incapable of retaining that capacity._

 _The smoke from the contents thickened as she held out a hand, clutching a small vial of powder, in reality sand from the desert around them. It was to ensure that the souls lost here would be bound to this creation._

 _Such negative energy was bound to overcome Dracon's psychoframe, making him into a mere animal a second time._

 _Yes... this would work out indeed..._

* * *

I had no idea as to what was coming next.

In all honesty, actually, that was what saved me from going all Feral on the competitors, myself, and my friends Agunimon and Nick.

Had I been expecting it, then I would've been overwhelmed by the sheer hatred and anger that the souls of the deceased harbored within them.

It was just as well when I got an intense stabbing pain in my processor. I wavered in place and nearly blacked out it was so bad. I regained control of myself and came to a hover, rubbing my helm with my free hand and looking around as the pain faded to a dull throb in my processor.

"What the hell _was_ that?" I muttered.

I only got my answer a few seconds later when this... rumbling... started to occur. I looked down, noticing how the ground was starting to shake a little. It wasn't normal... the way it moved was like... like a living being. Writhing, struggling, and... groaning.

Little is known about the ancient Foodian magicks that exist in this world, but a few have been said to be able to manipulate the very earth itself, to bind it to their food creations to ensure they were part of the landscape around them. Some have even said that to bind the souls of the deceased to a food golem means to use soil or a sample from the area in which they died. Such practics have made it incredibly dangerous to fight against such a creation, as they tended to be able to also control the earth around them to a limited degree. Not to the extent which is possible with an earth-manipulation Semblance, but still enough to cause damage and disrupt things and the environment around them.

Such an ability also meant that they could draw on the very earth's energy for power.

That was a bad thing, because then it meant that the food creation had to not only be destroyed, but the very soil or whatever had to be incinerated as well. In truth, only the Foodians know the proper method to destroy such a creation, but others have found methods just as effective, if not more messy and brutal. I should know, as I did one such thing myself via my beam burst gun.

It was at that very point though that my radar and sensors alerted me to the presence of something coming. Something big... and angry.

The train by now was about to be derailed due to the intense shaking of the ground and my optics flared as I saw the people inside scrambling about, trying to keep the train level and on the tracks. It was at this point I wished the shinkansen was in the area, more specifically the Denver Bullet. Those trains are known for their safety record, as during the 2011 Earthquake in Fukushima, the trains never suffered an accident or derailing. Although the Grimm swarming in during the aftermath of the quake did make things difficult, for the most part people were recovering from the incident and subsequent damages to both homes and business; even the nuclear business, which had taken a huge hit in its reputation after the event was recovering, although most people were now arguing for Dust to augment the reactors in the event of a meltdown.

Anyway, the old steam train was not doing so well. It didn't look like it could remain on the tracks any longer and I was right.

The engine was the first to go, followed by the coal car and then a few of the carriages with people and belongings inside. My optics widened in shock as the ground in front of the tracks began to shift and move, a sinister shape erupting out of the desert sand and wooden track ties and metal tracks. Some parts of the tracks seemed to blend in with the creature, and ten of the rail ties melded into its fingers. The eyes were made of olives and tomatoes, while the rest of its body was a mass of sand and meat.

At once I realized who was behind it: the Food Witch, aka, Grandma Stuffum.

My optics dimmed a shade as I hefted my beam magnum. "Shit..." I muttered. "And just now, too!"

A gleam of something caught my optic and I turned my head, my gaze landing on a form I knew all too well, even if it was partially concealed by that sandy brown cloak. The sniper rifle was a dead giveaway, as was his blonde hair.

Agunimon's blue eye flicked over to me and winked before returning to focus on the creature before him. Nick on the other hand, phased out of his host and grasped his rocket launcher which was attached to his back. The woman collapsed and Nick pulled her to the side to keep her out of the field of fire. Once he was done with that, he ran back and faced the Food creature as it finished emerging from the ground.

Sylvester's brown eyes narrowed as he spun his shotgun and brought his own horse to a halt beside Nick. "You a friend of Dracon'sth?" he asked.

"Yep. Been friends with him for years, ever since his time at Laplace," Nick retorted. "You?"

"I wasth a competitor, but I guessth now I'm an ally," the cat remarked with a grin.

Nick grinned. "The more the merrier, especially given this freak."

"Tell me about it!" I muttered. "And during the last event, too!"

The Food Creature roared at us and we all held our weapons at the ready.

This fight, however, was not going to be easy.

I didn't realize hust how _difficult_ it was actually going to be.


	37. Arc II - Assault on Green River

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Shadow Line_

 _The Shadow Line is the name of the proposed_ shinkansen _line running through the Darklands of America, an attempt to map out the Darklands' terrain._

 _Of course, given the very nature of the program, many seasoned Huntsmen have shot it down, insisting that it is a death sentence to anyone riding the_ shinkansen _through the domain of Sammael. These concerns are actually very valid, seeing as how countless Grimm reside there. But proponents of the idea, among them the legendary Dragon of Denver, insist that the trains, when armed, would have a fighting chance._

 _Another proponent of the system is Mayor Dan von Wittenberg, mayor of Denver himself. Married to a former conductor for one of the earliest_ shinkansen _trains in Berlin, Germany, he knows of the speed they have, and has actually supported an armaments program for the Denver Shadow and Denver Bullet. But so far he has yet to get funding for the program, or even any weapons._

 _The Governor of Colorado, Alicia Watson, also supports the idea, stating that bullet trains have an edge in their safety record as well, although she admits it has yet to be tested fully in the Darklands or even Wildlands. However, as before, the idea is always shot down - at least until evidence of success regarding the Shadow Line comes forward._

 _Close Files_

* * *

"Unfortunately today, I have no words of wisdom. There are some days we just can't muster the strength or wisdom to convey. I know even I have my off days, but then again, what can one do? Not every day has to have wisdom given. But at the same time, it can make one stronger," TOM explained as he closed down the Shadow Line file. "And sometimes things can just be ideas. But then again, aren't all things based on ideas? What ideas do you have? Are they good, or bad? That's what makes humans unique, and different, from other species of animals in one reality, but in others, who knows? It all comes down to how one reacts to those ideas."

Then TOM chuckled. "Well, I guess I did have something after all." He pressed a button on the arm rest of his chair and leaned back to watch.

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology far more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Assault on Green River**

* * *

I didn't realize just _how_ difficult it was actually going to be.

I gripped my beam magnum in my hand and aimed it at the Food creature as it roared at us.

Me, Agunimon, Nick, and Sylvester. Who'd have thought that this would happen, three of us fighting against a Food creature?

The creature growled as it drew back a fist, its ten rail fingers flexing before launching at us.

I crouched, flaring my wings and darting skyward as my flight pack hummed in my audios. Sylvester and Nick barely got their horses to move to the side as the rail-fingers impacted the ground where they had been just moments before.

I watched in worry as the rails began to shudder and jiggle, the strands of sand connecting them drawing them back towards the Food creature. "Shit...!" I muttered.

This was not good under any circumstances. My optics dimmed a shade as I looked left and right. The main question now was how were we going to beat this beast.

I spotted Agunimon as he aimed his rifle/katana at the Food creature's head. He waited a bit, and then my optics picked out the muzzle flash as the round exited the barrel. I wasn't surprised to see it heading for the creature's head. But what I was surprised at was seeing the creature raise a hand and use its rail fingers to form a shield of sorts.

My optics flashed in surprise and shock. "The hell is this thing capable of?!" I blurted.

"No clue," Nick growled. "But we gotta try something!" He aimed his rocket launcher and pulled the trigger, sending a projectile right for the creature's left leg. I caught the glint of light blue Dust in the warhead and I realized what his plan was. I gripped my beam magnum and hefted it, ready to fire it once the rocket hit its target.

Sylvester took the chance and ran for the creature, firing his shotgun at its face and earning a growl as the creature pivoted its head in his direction. Raising a hand, it launched a few rail fingers at the cat Mobian and his horse. He pulled back on the reins as he urged his mount into a gallop. The rails barely missed their target as the cat fired a few more shots. The creature was so distracted by its new opponent it failed to hear the rocket as it whistled through the air. I waited, tense, as the rocket struck the creature's left leg and froze it solid.

That was the chance I needed.

I aimed my beam magnum and pulled the trigger as the creature realized at that moment it was caught. It drew back a hand, those rail fingers gleaming as it prepared to drive them into the ice. I desperately willed my gun to charge faster, but there was no use in that. I had to release the charged shot now. Or else the creature would get away.

But before it could drive those fingers into the ice holding its leg, Agunimon's next round struck it in the face, earning a howl of agony and I almost clamped my hands over my audio sensors. But I ignored it and held the trigger down a bit longer until I felt the gun start to vibrate from the power of the charged shot.

I finally released the trigger and the gun roared, sending a blast of charged beam energy right for the creature's frozen leg.

It struck and shattered the limb into hundreds of pieces of ice.

The Food creature screeched as it fell, its rail fingers lashing out to fire at Nick. But he was on the move, urging his horse to the side and in the nick of time. The metal impaled the ground and I hissed through my vents as I charged up my magnum a second time. I aimed it at the creature's neck and fired. The beast turned and its one remaining tomato and olive eye narrowed at me. The image was enough to make me shudder against my will, but I ignored it as I fired a few more shots from my gun.

The creature roared as my shots hit its 'skin' and turned it to glass or scorched it. I was kind of surprised really. Was it possible the souls of the deceased were giving it a sort of nervous system, much like my psychoframe did for me? That was one question that had to wait, though. I wasn't about to let this thing get closer to the train, or anything else. And I was sure as hell not going to let Grandma Stuffum continue to use the souls of dead children to give her creations intelligence and sentience!

My wings flared wide open as I released my fin funnels. This time, I was not holding back.

"Okay, Stuffum!" I growled. "This ends here and now!"

The creature roared as it charged at me and the others. I dimmed my optics a shade as the creature drew back a fist and fired it off, the rail fingers extending out to try and drive themselves into me. I barely dodged the strike as it blasted past me. I whirled around in the air and let loose a few more shots before the clip ran empty. I ejected it and replaced my magnum on my flight back as I flipped my beam burst gun forward into firing position.

"EAT THIS!" I roared, firing off a blast of energy from the gun.

The beam split into six smaller shots, each one striking the creature on the chest, stomach, arms, legs, or the head. I fired off a second salvo not even a minute later, this time hitting it again. The creature roared in agony, and by now the other competitors were getting roped into the fight as well; mostly because this thing was threatening the passengers on the train.

The train!

My optics flashed in shock as I whirled around, only to stare in shock as the sand beneath the derailed train began to shift and ooze, tendrils of... something... reaching up and slithering into the coaches and even the very engine itself. The entire train - and passengers - was in danger of being _absorbed_ by this thing. The train began to slip away from the tracks, the tendrils now drawing the machine into the body. Parts of the engine were removed, the grille becoming a chest plate, the funnel becoming armor for the arms, and the rest turned into armor for the legs, shoulders, and even the head. The coaches on the other hand...

Those were absorbed into the very creature itself. Becoming part of it, and the passengers as well. Well, more like the coaches became protrusions of sorts, the passengers turned into unwilling hostages.

"Shit...!" I muttered. "Shitshitshitshit!"

I watched in horror as the Food creature howled in triumph.

With its body now armored, there was no way for me to destroy whatever was powering it.

And that meant trouble for everyone.

My optics dimmed a shade as I growled to myself. If that thing was armored like this, then...

"Oh... Glob..." I muttered as my gaze landed on the town in the distance, realization dawning on me. "No... way...!"

That was it.

I _had_ to get backup! And fast!

* * *

 _The comm line beeped as he looked at the monitor. "Hm?"_

 _A hand reached out and pressed the button. "What is it?" he asked._

 _"_ Sir, it's Kelly. I just got an urgent message from Dracon, _" the voice of his secretary said._

 _"And what does he want?" he wondered._

 _"_ He said it's urgent. He wants us to send the Bullet. _" Those words were what he was_ not _expecting to hear._

 _"He wants us to send the Bullet?!" he blurted._

 _"_ Yes, sir. He said it's needed because of the Food Witch. _"_

 _Kelly's voice was serious as she said this. Her words were enough to make him think. His hand flew to his mouth as he leaned forward at his desk, observing the city from his office's location. He reflected back on the mission involving the Legendary Warrior of Flame and Dracon. They both had encountered the Food Witch within the ruins of Thorton, prompting him to order a shoot on sight for the City Guard. In truth, the man was downright frightened of the Witch and her powers. It was enough to make him wonder just what it would take, short of a nuke, to finish that woman off._

 _He growled to himself as he looked at the three blinking icons on his terminal. The icons - all lit up right now - each indicated a specific type of train currently undergoing maintenance or just routine routes. One of them was currently a bright green, meaning it was at rest at the station. One was a bright red, indicating that it was undergoing maintenance while the last one was yellow, meaning it was on its routine run within the city limits._

 _But only one type of train could get to his location in time, and its light was currently a pulsing gold indicating it was on its latest run._

 _"What's his situation?" he asked at last.  
_

* * *

I hoped with all my being that the message had gotten through.

And for good reason, since there was only one way to stop this creature.

And it was not the standard way for exterminating a Grimm. Since this thing was made from the souls of the deceased and the very environment mixed with food, it meant that we needed something of sufficient power to defeat it.

The only thing that could do so was considered unconventional, but since we lived in a world with superpowers and dark demonic creatures created from black ooze, what counted as conventional, anyway?

Still, to see a _shinkansen_ running down a Grimm or golem was not that common.

My optics flicked over to where Agunimon was perched, only to see him standing up as he slipped his rifle/katana onto his back. He threw off his cloak as he leapt off the rock and landed, bolting over to our location. He skidded to a stop as Sylvester and Nick looked at him. "Well, this is something new," he muttered.

"Duh! Of course it is!" I growled. "Not!"

The Warrior of Flame snorted as he blew some hair out of his face. "So, what's the deal this time?" he asked. "What led to this thing?"

"Long story short, Grandma Stuffum!" I muttered angrily. "And she's finally gone too far..." My optics pulsed dangerously as I said those words.

"Who'sth thisth?" Sylvester asked.

"Agunimon," was all I said. "He's a Hunter like us. So don't question."

The cat Mobian cocked an eyebrow, but let it slide. Nick narrowed his eyes as he took in Agunimon's scruffy appearance, that was it. I later learned that he had heard rumors of the Warrior of Flame, and also had seen him in action once or twice. But now to be working with him as well? That was something he hadn't expected, and in truth, neither had I.

Regardless, we had a mission.

And I was determined to complete it, as well as find little Yasha.

My optics shifted from their usual violet hue to that cool green color indicative of my anger and fury. I clenched my fists as I felt my psychoframe kick into action, glowing a bright greenish white color.

Beside me I could sense Agunimon throwing his rifle/katana up into the air before he shifted from his Human Spirit to his more powerful Beast Spirit, BurningGreymon. I didn't even need to see it, as my sensors let me know when the shimmering ribbon around his body faded.

Nick simply held up his rocket launcher as Sylvester aimed his shotgun.

The Food creature roared as it lunged at us, but we were faster. Nick was rolling to the side as one of its massive metal-clad feet landed on the ground, Sylvester spurring his mount into a run. Me and BurningGreymon on the other hand, took to the skies to avoid being splattered into the ground like pancakes. My optics dimmed a shade as I adjusted my flight path, my beam burst gun powering up. I shifted my aim though, this time targeting not any spot on the creature, but anywhere on it.

I fired it, the beam splitting into six smaller shots that peppered the armor of the creature. BurningGreymon caught his rifle/katana and slipped it on his back before he aimed his arms at the creature. His gauntlets swung around into firing position and he growled as he let loose. " _PYRO BARRAGE!_ " he roared.

The bullets of energy struck the armor, and the sand/food that made up its visible flesh. A roar... no, a screech, of pain filled the air. I had to resist the urge to mute my audios at that; actually, that decision saved my life, because if I had muted them, I might not be here to tell this tale.

The reason I say that is very simple: the next thing that happened was that I heard a voice. It wasn't BurningGreymon's or anyone else's. In fact, it was totally unknown. And even today, years later, I still can't figure out whose voice it was, or if it was even _real_ , let alone multiple voices or just one voice.

" _Dracon! Get down!_ "

It sounded so close to my audio receptor, it caught me off guard. I jerked at the cry, and then my optics widened as I saw the rail fingers of the Food creature coming right at me, flexing out as if to bind me in their firm grip. I gasped and flew to the right as they coiled around where I had been mere seconds ago.

And it was then that I saw the pointed tips.

Had I remained there, I could've been holed right through my chest, right where my reactor was.

I gulped audibly, realizing just how close I had come to being killed. Literally.

My gaze snapped back to the Food creature as it roared, trying to swat my companions or stomp them to bits.

"Okay... Now what?" I muttered. "How can we bring that thing down?!"

" _Dracon..._ "

My helm snapped up as I heard that same voice again. Only this time it sounded more... cohesive, like it wasn't many... but one.

"Who... Who _are_ you?!" I rasped in shock.

" _There is no time for questioning. You must act quickly,_ " the voice told me.

"But how?!" I blurted. "How can I take that thing down?!"

" _It is not a matter of taking it down, Dracon. It is a matter of reaching its souls..._ " The voice was very cryptic on that last bit, and actually, it was downright frustrating.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" I asked.

" _Its souls have been consumed by its pain and anger,_ " the voice explained. " _So in order to stop its rampage, you must reach its souls... and break the curse binding them to the land. Only then will it be easier to defeat._ "

"But you never said _how_ I was supposed to reach its souls!" I protested.

" _You will know..._ " was all the voice said before it vanished.

BurningGreymon looked in my direction. "Hey! Dracon! Get your head back in the game!" he called.

I perked up as my radar blared loudly in my audios and I rolled to the side in midair as a barrage of rail fingers came my way.

I was barely able to dodge them and I at the Food Creature, my optics narrowing a bit. "Okay... no more holding back!" I muttered.

I charged in, my beam burst gun swinging into position. Now normally I wouldn't do such a thing. But I was getting tired. Tired of all the secrets, the lies, and even worse, the horrific actions taking place at this resort town. So I was determined to finish this as quickly as possible.

But that proved to be a bad decision, for as soon as I fired at the Food Creature, it retaliated by launching a slew of... goop... at me. I wasn't able to dodge it, or I would've been nailed by it if not for the quick thinking of BurningGreymon, Sylvester, and Nick. The last thing I expected was for Nick and Sylvester to leap in front of the goop, their Auras flaring to deflect it away from me while BurningGreymon unleashed his Wildfire Tsunami attack. The creature roared in pain as the flames hit it, but it wasn't enough. The only question now was... how were we supposed to win?!

Of course, things were about to turn in our favor, and in more ways than one.

* * *

 _"How much longer?!"_

 _"We're already pushing it to the limit as it is! Any further pushing and we'll be forced into Overclock!"_

 _"Then go into damn Overclock!"_

 _"But if we do we'll-"_

 _"I don't care what you have to say! JUST GET THE DAMN THING MOVING FASTER!"_

 _"Y-Yes, sir!"_

 _*screeching sounds heard as sparks fly on rails*_

 _*beeping fills cockpit as driver ekes more power from engines*_

 _*worry filled whispers from passengers and crew alike as wind whips by windows*_

 _"Damn Food Witch... She'll pay dearly for what she did to my wife..."_

 _*black shadow rockets down tracks towards small resort town*_

* * *

The sound of a train horn caught my audios and I looked around, trying to find the source of it.

But that proved to be a distraction as the next thing I knew I was pummeled hard by the Food Creature, its meaty fist slugging me in the chest and knocking me back. I cried out as I was flung through the air, only to crash into the ground near the tracks. I groaned as I lay in the crater, my systems aching and my wings twitching every so often. Vibrations filled the air as I looked up, my optics widening in shock as the Food Creature drew back its right hand, the rail fingers melding into a sinister looking spike.

A sneer crossed its meaty face as it drew back the spike, and I braced for the incoming blow.

Only it never came.

The horn resonated in the air again and the creature looked around, trying to find it.

Only for something to come rocketing down the tracks at full throttle, literally _slamming_ into the thing's foot and dislodging its armor and a few of the coaches of the steam train. The creature actually _howled_ in agony as it collapsed on its back, the old steam engine disengaging from its body and landing on the ground, the rest of the train following suit. The rails clanged to the ground and the passengers of the old steam train swarmed out of the coaches, running as fast as they could for the town or the hills. I was downright shocked at how fast the thing had been taken down. Or rather, by _what_ had done it.

The sleek black shape that struck it? That was one of the bullet trains.

The Denver Shadow.

A stealth-based variant designed to run on the Shadow Line, a proposed train line designed to help map out the Darklands and mark any and all possible Pools of Darkness to be removed and taken care of. Actually, it was not so much designed to map the Darklands as it was designed to try and sniff out Sammael's location, as well as artifacts from the Forgotten Age. But of course, it wasn't without its critics. In fact, the most notable amongst them was Major Glory, which was a surprise. (In his eyes, to even consider such a project was dooming America's youngest generation to possibly be attacked by the Fallen. And while he does have his points, which I am loathe to admit, he also forgets that Sammael is a rather clever one, a product of having been around for over a thousand years, maybe even since the Forgotten Age. Who knows how old he really is?!)

The whole proposal was a risk from the start, I will admit, but at the same time, it presented an opportunity to do what no one else could do: map the Darklands and give Hunters and Huntresses alike a serious advantage.

But of course it was always shot down by the higher ups, such as Congress or even Sebben himself.

I often questioned why people never looked to the advantages as well.

Sometimes I still do.

But right now, that questioning was left for another day as I watched the sleek black shape of the Denver Shadow skid to a stop, its engines revving as the engineer and driver shunted all power to the reverse engine to come to a screeching halt. I had to admit, I was kind of worried when I saw the sparks flying from the front and rear wheels. The rear engine revved as it drew on all the power and within mere minutes, the train had ground to a screeching halt. I looked back just in time to see the massive Food Creature coming back from its supposed demise. My optics flared a little as I arched my wings.

"How am I supposed to reach their souls?!" I muttered angrily.

The creature, now stripped of its armor and rail fingers, glared at the four of us. It roared loud and painfully, or was it in pain from its missing foot...?

Wait. _Why_ hadn't its foot regenerated?

I looked down at it and I was surprised to see that the food and sand was splattered every which way, and that something was seeping out of it... like... blood. But not. For one thing, it was blue, and wispy... Like...

"Aura!" I breathed. "That thing is channeling the Auras of the deceased!"

I felt my psychoframe twinge a little in response to the blue, wispy substance. I took the chance to dive down, and on a hunch - a rather stupid, crazy hunch - lashed out a hand to grab onto the creature's meaty leg.

And it was then I was nearly swamped by the negative emotions writhing within that beast. I actually had to struggle to keep myself focused and sane. But I somehow managed by remembering why I was even here in the first place: to find little Yasha. I mentally gritted my teeth and reached out with my own will, my psychoframe seething with energy. I could sense within the souls the magicks binding them to the food creature's body, and it was old, ancient, and powerful. There was no way even my psychoframe could remove those bindings without me succumbing to the magicks.

There was only one thing that could remove those magical bindings.

To destroy the Grimoire, that ancient book of spells used by the Food Witch herself.

The next thing I knew, I was flung back from the beast, crying out as I crashed into the ground, the rest of the competitors that were still involved in the tournament coming to check up on me.

My vision was fuzzy, and I felt like my processor had been scrambled like an egg, but at least I was still alive and sane. The bad news: the Food Creature had retreated.

All I could recall after that was feeling myself hauled to my feet and dragged over to where a temporary base camp was being set up.

My optics flickered as I shook my helm to clear the fuzziness from my processor. I could make out shapes that bore the city seal on them, and I knew at once these guys were from the City Guard. I let out a sigh of relief as I slumped back in a chair, feeling the tension ease out of my frame.

"Glad you guys showed up," I quipped, trying to make a joke.

"Well, we just happened to be in the area," the captain in charge remarked. "And I have to admit, that thing was _not_ what we were expecting to run into. Was that really one of the Food Witch's creations?"

I nodded. "Yeah. It was," I muttered darkly. "But the ones in Thorton weren't as bad as that one..."

The captain narrowed his eyes. "I see..." Then he suddenly blanched and shook his head, regaining his composure and saluted. "Captain Caleb Glass, Denver City Guard, 12th Central Branch!"

I returned it before looking away briefly in the direction of Green River Resort. "How fast can you get this thing up and running?" I asked.

"We can have the train up and running within an hour," Captain Glass replied. "Why?"

"That's all I need to know," I muttered, getting to my feet and flexing my wings.

"Hold it!" a voice shouted. I looked back just in time to see Sylvester, BurningGreymon, and Nick showing up. Beside them was Amy. "If you're thinking of going in there alone, think again!" Nick remarked as he folded his arms.

"Wasn't even thinking about it," I chuckled.

"Good thing, too," Amy remarked. "Especially given that the Food Witch might strike again."

"So let'sth get going then," Sylvester remarked. "The thsooner we beat this Food Witch the better!"

BurningGreymon nodded as he flared his wings. "There's no way she can stand up to all of us!"

I nodded with a chuckle. "Right. So let's go!"

Of course, things were only bound to get more chaotic when we arrived.


	38. Arc II - Battle at Green River

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Soul Magicks_

 _Soul magicks are a different brand than the Soul Magic crafted by Nyx._

 _Soul magicks are actually a forbidden form of magic, long since banned by the magical government that oversees all mages and other magic practitioners: the Mage Council._

 _The Mage Council has seen fit to deem this magic as black magic, as it taints the souls of those who practice it. Those who use it are able to manipulate the souls of the deceased, turning them into a power supply or even a reserve of what they deem 'élan vitali', or soul energy. This energy is in actuality very dangerous to control, and soul magicks often revolve around manipulating it into different forms. Some say that House Von Stuffum are actually practitioners of this dangerous magick, and that it has formed the basis of their Foodian magic._

 _Of course, no one can confirm or deny this, as no one has seen it in action, and the Mage Council has been tightlipped on the matter._

 _Close Files_

* * *

"Forbidden, black, dark. All these things imply something dangerous or even downright sinister," TOM lectured as he closed the files. "But did it ever occur that maybe there was a reason for that being labeled as such? Such as a nuclear weapon. These weapons are labeled as weapons of mass destruction due to their immense power and ability to destroy an entire city in the blink of an eye. But that is only in the hands of the wrong people. Yet in wartime, is it really a weapon of mass destruction, or is it just another weapon to use?"

He brought up an image of a nuclear missile impacting a descending colony before switching to show a city in ruins from the same type of weapon. "These two instances show the difference in how they are used. The one that was used to wipe out a destroyed colony was used in defense of the world's peoples, while the other one was used to destroy a city in peacetime, precipitating a nuclear war. It all depends on the person behind the helm of whatever faction has them."

The screens closed as TOM looked at the audience (you). "So next time someone says that something is forbidden to you, try and consider the reasoning for such actions."

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology far more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Battle at Green River**

* * *

The five of us arrived back at the town just as the Food Creature did.

Or rather we arrived after it did.

And just in time, too.

Nick was the first one to hold out a hand and the rest of us skidded to a halt behind him. First was Amy, then Sylvester, myself, then BurningGreymon, in that order.

"What's the big idea?!" Amy hissed.

"Shhh!" Nick shushed her as he pointed to one of the buildings. We all peeked around him as several figures emerged from the saloon.

The most notable was that gentlemanly cat, and his eyes were hard as he watched the next person come out.

My optics widened as I stared in shock at the form of Grandma Stuffum, otherwise known as the Food Witch. No longer was she dressed as a mere cook. Instead she was clad in her wizard's robes, her hat perched on her head and her wand in hand. Under her arm was that infamous spell book, the Grimoire, its tattered cover and pages a dead giveaway. Her eyes were narrowed as she looked at the creature in disappointment.

"I am very disappointed in you!" she scolded. "You have failed to vipe out ze Dragon, and his allies!"

The creature bowed its head, but the woman wasn't lenient. She drew back her wand as it seethed with dark magic, and then thrust it forward. The purple bolt of lightning lanced out and struck the creature in the chest, a loud _wail_ erupting from its 'mouth'. My optics widened in shock as it began to writhe in the lightning, her eyes flashing a deep purple color. Her Aura shimmered a brilliant violet, much like my optic color, channeling her magic into the wand. "You have failed me for ze last time!" she hissed.

A meaty hand reached out as if begging her to stop, but it collapsed as the creature began to literally dissolve before our very eyes/optics. And slowly, one by one, a child's soul detached from it, writhing as they succumbed to the black magicks binding them together. And the worst part? I could sense their very _pain_ , their suffering... their begging and grief...

I had to shake my helm and force myself to focus. Yasha was counting on me to find her. Her family was counting on me to bring her back safe and sound.

I tore my gaze from the sight as we all huddled behind a nearby building.

"That bitch!" Amy snarled. "She's gone way too far!"

"Duh! Like I don't know that!" BurningGreymon snarled. His tail swished behind him in anger as his wings arched themselves. "I can't believe that she was here all along!"

"I know..." I muttered. "And I was so stupid to not pay attention to all the warning signs!"

"So... how do you know this Food Witch, anyway?" Amy asked me.

"Long story short, me and BurningGreymon over there went on a mission to the ruins of Thorton to investigate strange sightings and activity there. We found it was the Food Witch and battled her. But she got away from us before we could do anything else," I explained.

Her eyes widened at that. "Oh..."

"Stho that'sth how you know BurningGreymon," Sylvester hummed.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Quiet!" Nick hissed, silencing us.

We all fell silent and huddled around the corner, trying to not be seen as well.

The figures were now huddling in a group. I narrowed my optics a bit as I tuned my audio receptors to their highest setting.

"...can't believe they failed!" Grandma Stuffum muttered angrily.

"Yes, I can understand your frustration, Grandma, but you must be aware that the Dragon of Denver has been making allies here during the tournament," Cat R. Waul said. "He is not one to underestimate. Especially given his record."

"That thing should never have been allowed to come here!" the high-pitched voice of Chula issued from the shadows above him. My optics locked onto the tarantula Mobian as he skittered down a web strand.

"Well, you will get your chance to exact your revenge, my ssssspidery friend..." Rattlesnake Jake sneered as he emerged from the saloon, his Gatling gun held in his hands.

"Yes, but we also must be wary for if he tries to use his... secret weapon... against us," Cat cautioned.

"I am vell avare of zat fact, Cat," Grandma Stuffum growled. "Zat machine is proving to be troublesome!"

My wings bristled as I hissed through my vents. How I hated being referred to as a mere machine! I was a _Gundam_ , dammit! Not some soulless machine crafted by man!

...

Okay, so maybe my frame was built by human hands, but at least I was still a living being.

"So, since you have failed to exterminate him using your magic, I assume you have a backup plan?" Cat inquired.

"Yes, in fact I do," the Bavarian remarked with a sneer. "I shall create a new golem, zis time centering on one he has come here looking for..." She held up a small bundle, and I gasped to myself as my optics picked out the little girl mouse Mobian. The pink onesie was a dead giveaway.

Yasha.

"Oh, shit...!" I muttered, dread filling my chest and frame.

"Ah! A rather cunning plan indeed!" Cat exclaimed. "He will be forced to choose between saving her or killing her!"

"Yes! Zat is ze idea!" the Foodian witch cackled. "Unless he happens to have a plan of his own..."

"Damn right I do!" I muttered under my figurative breath. I was so tempted to just let loose, to charge in and not even stop until the Food Witch was dead. But at the same time, I wasn't too keen on letting her know we were there. So I was torn.

I cast my gaze over my companions, taking in what I knew of them, having observed them over the course of the tournament and its events.

Amy I knew was incredibly strong, and her Graviton Hammer was a powerful weapon in of its own right. That coupled with her speed was a good combination, although her competitive nature remained a bit of an uncertainty.

BurningGreymon's skill set I knew very well, as I had trained him briefly before he left to go off on his own. He was fast and strong, but he also possessed the ability to manipulate fire, just not to the extent of the Fire Elemental. That, along with his ability to shift from his Human Spirit to his Beast Spirit, meant he had great versatility on the battlefield, and coupled with flight, gave him an advantage over most other Hunters. His aim with that rifle of his was decent, or rather it was excellent, given his keen eyesight and senses.

Sylvester was also a powerful Huntsman, wielding a double barreled shotgun. And his Aura was something to not underestimate as it allowed him to trap opponents using a sticky, goo-like substance. Plus his... awareness... was an added bonus as it allowed him to commune with the deceased.

And then there was Nick. An old friend and fellow Huntsman, I knew his abilities like the back of my hand. His Semblance was not only good for intelligence gathering, but also for sneak attacks. The only downside was that he needed to become solid once he chose to attack. His rocket launcher was also an added bonus, as most Hunters never really chose heavy artillery. But then again, Nick felt it was best to have something that could pack a lot more power than a standard weapon. And the rockets it fired were more or less laced with different kinds of Dust for added effects.

I finally looked to the pink hedgehog Mobian. "You know, I find it surprising that you chose to become involved in this," I noted. "Mind me asking why?"

Amy's eyes hardened as she looked at the Food Witch. "When I found out she was here after that golem, I just... Two close friends of mine... were..." Her eyes narrowed and she bared her teeth. "Cream and Cheese..." She clenched her fists. "They were never seen again after encountering her..."

At once a sense of disgust flooded my frame and I looked at her. "That's why?"

Amy was silent, but she nodded grimly. "Yeah. Cream and Cheese didn't deserve the fate they suffered... They only wanted to live a peaceful life..."

"Is that why you became a Hunter?" I asked softly.

She didn't even say a word as she hefted her Hammer. "..." But the way she nodded indicated I was right on the mark. "If not to stop her, then to prevent others from suffering their same fate!" she snarled.

And actually, that made a lot of sense.

I just nodded. "Okay then."

Nick whistled lowly. "I... I'm sorry..." he whispered.

BurningGreymon said nothing, but his tail was swishing in a threatening manner, and Sylvester's eyes were mere slits as he pumped his shotgun.

However, that sound was enough to give away our position.

"Who's zere?!" the Food Witch demanded, drawing her wand and aiming it in our direction. We all pulled back as she fired off a purple bolt of lightning, striking the side of the building and turning it into a graham cracker.

I hissed through my vents as a plan came to mind. Well, not so much a plan as it was an attack.

I was on the move in a flash, my wings flaring open as I darted out of hiding. I was not about to let her get away with whatever she was going to do, no matter what!

"Wait!" Nick hissed, but I was out of range by then.

I lunged for the Food Witch, her eyes narrowing as she fired off a lightning bolt at me. But I dodged it by taking flight and rolling to the left. She growled as she aimed the wand at the bundle, forcing me to halt. "Don't even zink about it, Dragon of Denver!" she sneered.

"Dammit!" I heard Sylvester swear.

"Ah. So you had some help..." Grandma Stuffum purred with a sneer.

"So what if I did?!" I spat. "That only means more trouble for you!"

Stuffum chuckled. "So you say..."

I began to get a bad feeling in my gut at those words. My psychoframe began to twinge, and I gulped. Whenever it twinged, it usually meant something was about to happen, and I needed to be ready. Prior experiences had taught me that much.

And oh, boy... was I right to heed it.

The last thing I expected was to see several grey funnels dart past my line of sight and my sensors blared as energy beams lanced out from them. Thinking swiftly, I launched my own fin funnels and formed my beam barrier just in the nick of time. I was knocked back within the barrier, but at least it held.

I sat up, rubbing my helm as I glared at the shadowy shape as it emerged from the darkness.

My optics narrowed as I swore under my breath. The white coat, mask, and blonde hair were a dead giveaway as to who it was. "Wile E. Coyote!" I hissed.

The coyote Mobian sneered as he folded his arms across his chest. "Honestly, I wasn't expecting you to arrive so early," he chuckled. "I was expecting you to arrive a half hour from now."

I didn't even say a word as I got into a fighting stance, my fin funnels dispersing and coming to a hover around me.

"Just because you got the brains doesn't mean you can use them properly," the old, wise voice of Wyle Burp remarked as he looked up from his spot on an old rocking chair. (How had they not noticed him?!)

"Yeah! And for once, I am going to stand up and fight against this kind of murder!" Tyger's voice barked as he staggered out of the general store, holding his machine gun at the ready.

"And don't forget me!" I heard a familiar voice snarl.

My head whipped to the left as a dark blue shape emerged from the shadows as well.

Tiger of the Wind. In all actuality, with all the chaos happening, I had forgotten about him at the hotel itself! He still looked sickly and skeletal, but at least he was able to move and stand, although his legs were shaking with the effort.

Then again, how had... oh... right... He was a GENO. So of course his senses would've been heightened.

Tiger limped out into the light, his amber eyes hard. "Don't think you can handle this alone," he growled.

"What makes you think otherwise?" I shot back as I hefted my beam tonfas as they ignited.

The GENO snorted, but didn't say anything else.

Of course, we had no idea as to how much worse things were about to get. Especially as a loud bellow suddenly echoed across the entire town. " _AT LAST!_ " My optics widened as I recognized that voice.

Suezo's.

The large, lumbering GENO stormed into view from behind the hospital, prompting what few guests and civilians remained to run for the hills and take up refuge at the larger, more modern hotel further back. His single red eye pulsed menacingly as he looked Tiger in the eyes. "Finally! We meet again, traitor!" he sneered.

"Suezo..." Tiger's fur bristled as he growled.

"How easy it will be to finish you off!" the Fallen GENO cackled.

"Hardly!" Tiger hissed.

That was it.

All of us had been assembled.

Me VS Wile E. Coyote.

BurningGreymon VS the Food Witch.

Tiger VS Suezo.

Amy and Nick VS Chula.

Tyger VS Cat.

Wyle VS Rattlesnake Jake.

And to be honest... it was gonna be a hellhole.

Something I was not looking forward to... at all.

* * *

 **(BurningGreymon's 3rd Person POV)**

' _Okay... Things are not looking so good..._ ' was the first thought that passed through his mind.

BurningGreymon narrowed his blue eyes as he spread his wings, his tail swishing behind him.

He felt a strange sense of deja vu as he stood before the Food Witch, her eyes glistening with sinister intent as she started to circle. He remembered the first time he and Dracon had faced her down in the ruins of Thorton, which actually hadn't been that long ago, to be honest. The situation had been much less bleak, but the primary purpose had been the same: to save any hostages held in her clutches. And the first objective, he knew, was to try and lure her away from the hostage she was holding, or at the least, force her to drop the Mobian girl.

His back arched as his wings bristled, the effect seeming to make him even more imposing as he started to circle as well. His hands flexed as he bared his teeth. "So... what's the girl for?" he asked, trying to at least glean a bit of info from her on her plans. Not that she would even tell him, anyway, he figured. She didn't seem like the type to blab about her plans in his perspective.

"You vant to know? Vell, then you shall be ze first to find out!" the Food Witch cackled as she pointed her wand at the bundle.

His eyes widened as he sensed the electricity forming at the tip of her wand, and he reacted with a speed that he swore rivaled Dracon's reflexes. He pushed off the ground, lunging for the woman and drawing back a fist for the blow.

The Food Witch sneered as she aimed her wand at his heart and he gasped, realizing he had fallen into a trap! Panic overcame him as the wand fired a purple lightning bolt in his direction. Time seemed to slow down for the Warrior of Flame. All he could see was the lightning as it arced through the air towards him, the panic on those faces closest to him, the sneering glare of the Food Witch, and the dancing lights of Wile's fin funnels...

He gritted his teeth before he called upon the feeling of fury within him and then the next thing he knew, a blast of light erupted from around him as a cocoon of fractal coding enveloped his form. He cried out as he shifted back to his Human Spirit. " _SLIDE EVOLUTION!_ "

He felt his wings and tail retract into his being and he became less bulky, more like lean and strong, his hair becoming long and wild again. Then, as quickly as it happened, it was gone, and then the spell struck the coding, generating an explosion and sending him flying back.

Now as Agunimon, he flipped around, his hands flying for the rifle/katana on his back and he drew it, spinning the Dust chamber and landing it on fire Dust. The flames began to seethe over the blade as he drew it across his chest and slashed as hard as he could, catching the Food Witch by surprise. Her eyes widened as she saw the flames coming, and she was forced to roll to the side, but at the same time her grip on the small bundle slipped...

And he reacted.

Agunimon dove for the bundle, his eyes narrowing as his hand reached out to grasp the pink fabric.

Grandma Stuffum roared in fury as she tried to grasp the bundle tighter, but her hands were too busy trying to keep a firm grip on her wand as well. The fabric-wrapped baby landed on the ground, and wailing started to echo in the area. Agunimon's hand grasped the bundle and pulled it close to his chest as he landed and skidded, his katana/rifle held away from his body.

He looked up, his blue eyes hard as he held the baby in a protective grip, his teeth bared in hatred. "Okay... You've gone too far!" he hissed. "What did you want this kid for, anyway?!"

"Oh... Just to conjure up a new recipe... for ze Dragon!" the woman cackled as she aimed her wand at the duo.

Agunimon jerked back in shock as he saw the tip sparking. "No you don't!" he snarled, shifting his stance so his blade was held at the ready in front of the baby. "You won't get her!"

"Oh, but I vill..." Grandma Stuffum purred. "After all, I am ze Food Vitch... and I always have a plan or two in ze vorks!"

The Digimon frowned, not liking the implications. He shot a brief glance down at the Mobian infant, and his eyes widened a bit as he saw she had a small bow on her head, and she was clearly a mouse Mobian, dressed in a pink onesie.

' _This must be that Yasha girl Dracon mentioned..._ ' he thought, briefly reflecting back to the night prior to the train robbery event. Dracon had informed him of the situation with the little girl, which turned out to be the real reason he was even there to begin with. While Agunimon may not have been as keen on helping as Dracon was, he still wasn't about to let this kind of sick entertainment go on any longer. (Eating Mobian babies was going _way_ too far in his book.)

But he didn't have time to go down memory lane, as the next thing he heard was a loud screech from the Food Witch as she lunged for him, forcing him to dodge by leaping away from her.

His eyes hardened. "What are you planning?" he growled.

"See for yourself~!" the Bavarian sang.

A shifting and shuffling reached his hearing and his eyes flicked down to the bundle, only to widen as he gasped in shock.

Her little body was becoming covered in meat and vine-like vegetable roots as they started to slither around her. She was crying and wailing as it crept up towards her face. Agunimon reacted by grasping the fabric and onesie, pulling and trying to tear it off. ' _She must've cursed the fabric!_ ' he thought in a panic. He pulled harder, finally tearing off the onesie and the blanket. The meat and veggies remained around her body for a bit longer before they came loose under his harsh tugs, only for him to throw the clothing away in the nick of time.

"Damn you!" the Food Witch screeched in rage.

Agunimon's eyes narrowed as he finally tore off his cloak and wrapped little Yasha in it before putting it down on the ground and turning to face her. "All right. No more of your dirty tricks!" he hissed. "This time, you and me! One on one! No magic, no tricks! Understood?!"

The Food Witch sneered as she stood up. "Ah... if zat is vhat you vant, zen so be it!"

The Warrior of Flame however wasn't too keen on letting her get the best of him. He suspected that she would try something, as that was part of her fighting style: to fight dirty.

He started to circle, his hands gripping his katana/rifle in a firm grip. He wasn't going to use his fire manipulation abilities against her, but he had a Dust canister in his weapon just in case she tried anything.

And he was right to be prepared.

* * *

 **(Amy Rose's 3rd Person POV)**

The pink-furred Mobian narrowed her eyes as she hefted her hammer, the man in the trench coat narrowing his own eyes as he hefted his rocket launcher.

Before the duo stood Chula, his eyes glinting as his gold tooth glimmered in the dim lighting.

"You sure about this?" Amy asked Nick.

"Yeah. This guy is a real menace," the Huntsman remarked as he shifted his stance to a firing one. "Especially given his Semblance."

"What's his Semblance?" the Mobian asked.

"Oh... just a little something I like to call... Puppeteer!" Chula sneered as his Aura flared a sickening puke green color and tendrils of silk lashed out towards the duo.

"GET DOWN!" Nick shouted, lunging for Amy and tackling her to the ground. He kept a firm grasp on the Mobian woman as he looked over his shoulder at the tarantula Mobian. "Dammit!" he hissed.

Chula cackled as he unleashed more of those tendrils, but Nick grasped Amy and focused, his Semblance kicking in and turning the two intangible. Amy gasped in shock as she looked at a transparent hand, only for Nick's voice to reach her thoughts.

' _C'mon! We gotta move!_ ' he barked.

Amy shook her head to regain her bearings and nodded, still rattled by this sudden experience of not just being turned into a ghost, so to speak, but also because of the telepathy that Nick was capable of in this state.

The tendrils lashed through their transparent bodies, startling the spider Mobian. "What the Glob?!" he blurted.

Nick smirked. "Nice try!" he remarked. "As long as my Semblance is active, you can't touch us!"

Chula's eyes narrowed as he roared, lunging for the duo. But Nick was already moving, pulling Amy along behind him. "But I thought you said-"

' _It can only be active for a limited time frame!_ ' Nick shot back through telepathy. ' _If I'm not actively possessing an object or person, I can only remain intangible for five minutes tops!_ '

The pink Mobian gulped in dread.

Chula proceeded to phase through their transparent forms, and his eyes narrowed as he spun around, splaying all eight legs to help him slow down. "Oh, no you're not!" he snarled. His 'hands' flew for his pistols and he pulled them out, spinning the Dust chambers to land on ice Dust.

Nick's eyes hardened as he grasped his rocket launcher in his free hand and aimed it. His finger was about to squeeze the trigger when a blast of fire lanced right by the duo, forcing Nick to release his focus on his Semblance and channel it into his Aura instead. Amy hissed as she hunched over before her hand flew for the handle of her Graviton Hammer. Her pink Aura flared to life as she lookd at Nick, his eyes hardening. "Dammit..."  
He shot a glance at the direction the fire had come from: the fight between Agunimon and the Food Witch. She had clearly dodged the slash of his katana/rifle, causing the blast to fly past her and into their direction.

However, Chula sneered as he suddenly launched three tendrils of silk, right at Nick!

The Huntsman gasped in shock, but before he could get hit, Amy was on the move, her sneakers laced with Speed Dust giving her an advantage. She grabbed the human and pulled him down by his trench coat, earning a surprised yelp from him in response. Both landed flat on their backs before looking at one another. "T-Thanks..." Nick gasped. "Y-You saved me..."

Amy just gave a grunt as she got back to her feet. "Just drop it. We got a spider to squash!"

Nick nodded as he hefted his launcher and aimed it. "Can you keep him busy?" he asked.

"Yeah. But that silk is gonna be hard to avoid," Amy noted. "Man... I sure wish Sonic was here..."

Nick's eyes flew wide at the mention of the name. He had heard of the speedy hedgehog, but to think that Amy knew him? Well, that was a surprise right there. "You think you can call him down?" Nick asked.

"Hardly!" Amy retorted. "I've got a restraining order from him for a few years! I can't go anywhere near him until it expires! And that includes cell phone communications!"

The human growled in frustration, only to barely dodge a few Dust rounds fired by Chula. Amy leapt to the side as well, her Aura creeping into her fist as she clenched it around her hammer. The pink glow enveloped the hammer head and she leapt into the air. A shriek escaped her throat as she swung her hammer down towards the ground, slamming it into the earth and generating a shockwave that rocked Chula on his feet. His eyes went wide and his 'arms' flailed as he tried to recover his balance.

Nick took the chance to fire a rocket laced with ice Dust right for the spider. Chula's head snapped up at the sound of the rocket's screaming engine and he rolled to the side in a ball, squirting silk at the warhead in an attempt to detonate it.

"Get down!" Nick yelled, lunging for Amy and pulling her back as the rocket exploded upon contact with a hardened silk spear. The two landed on the ground, covering their noses and mouths to keep out the dust and dirt. Amy coughed a bit before she looked up, her eyes widening in shock at Chula's shape as he staggered out of the smoke, ice clinging to his body here and there, but for the most part he was in good shape.

"You have made me mad!" the Mobian roared as he launched himself at the two. His pistols began barking like crazy as he fired at them, forcing the duo to dodge by leaping to the sides.

* * *

 **(Tiger's 3rd Person POV)**

Tiger hissed as his legs shook from the effort of standing. As it was, he wasn't even sure he could fight in his current condition.

The lack of food and movement wasn't helping, nor were his injuries.

And yet Suezo had the gall to call him out for a battle.

The GENO could only wonder what was going through his former friend's mind at the time, but he brushed it aside with a snort. All he really cared about now was avenging Holly when in reality _he_ had been the one who had done her in.

It was ironic, in a way, Tiger mused as he struggled to stay upright. Here _he_ was, injured, weak, and helpless while Suezo was much stronger, more powerful than before, and transformed by the Black Ooze, as well as having acquired a Semblance of his own.

His keen hearing picked up the battle raging around them, from the firing of lasers to the barks of shotguns and the shrieks of rockets and slams of melee weapons. But his eyes were locked onto Suezo's single red eye.

"So... this is how it ends..." the GENO/Fallen sneered. "The Great Tiger of the Wind... dead by my hands."

"And the last of our civilization!" Tiger gasped.

Suezo tilted his head to the side as a sneer crossed his face. "Oh, my dear Tiger... our civilization will not have died with your demise. In fact, it will live on... through me," he stated. "I have lived this long because of my gift. And that gift will ensure I continue to live, even beyond your death. So it will never die as long as I live."

Tiger's fur bristled as he arched his back as best he could in his weakened state. "No way in hell will that happen!" he growled. "You're not a GENO anymore! Not with what you did to yourself!"

Suezo placed one massive hand on his chest, feigning hurt. "You hurt me, Tiger! Right in the heart!" he mocked. Then he sneered. "Not."

The massive GENO spread his arms as he stood up straight. "Face it, traitor! With your demise, a long and tumultuous era of our civilization will have come to an end... and a new one shall begin!" he cried. "Our civilization will be reborn anew, Tiger. And this time, _I_ will be the one to lead it! I will guide it to a new age, and the rest of these pathetic humans will die at the hands of my brethren, while we repopulate the world! That time is nigh, and there is nothing you can do to stop it! Even in your weakened condition!"

"Then I hate to burst your ego, but it will never happen!" Tiger snarled. "Your new dream is nothing but a mockery of what we stood for! If you recall, which I'm sure you don't, our country was _against_ this very ideology! We fought to bring an _end_ to the Grimm, _not_ to allow them to proliferate like you want!"

"Ah... but don't you see? The Grimm will allow us to rebuild our society!" Suezo cackled as he leered at the other GENO. His blood red Aura flared as his eye began to glow. "And I shall be the one to lead that revolution!"

"Not if I can help it..." Tiger hissed.

In all honesty, he wasn't even sure if he could win in his condition. He didn't even know if he could use his special abilities he was so weak! But he had to try.

Suezo's eye flashed as he fired off laser at the blue-furred GENO, but Tiger leapt to the side, skidding a bit as his legs shook. But he forced it aside as he glanced up, calling upon the cold fury within his chest and body. He felt that distinct feeling of icy coldness building up in the back of his throat and, after a moment of hesitation, opened his mouth before firing it at the monstrous GENO.

He yelped as the Ice Bomb struck him in the face, disrupting his focus and letting the beam fade away. Tiger took his chance and lunged for Suezo, his legs shaking from his efforts. He forced the moment aside and ran for his former friend, leaping up and driving his teeth into his thick, muscular arm. Suezo roared with pain as he lashed out, swining his arm around to try and dislodge Tiger. But he dug his teeth and claws in deeper, drawing that black ichor to the surface. He wrapped his rear paws around as well, but his strength was waning fast.

Suezo roared as he swung his arm with all his might, the force of the swing dislodging Tiger and sending him flying.

He landed on the ground and bounced a few times before skidding and landing on his stomach. His wound was aching, and his body was already feeling sapped of strength. But if anything, his pride wasn't letting him stay down. He was determined to knock some sense into his former ally. And he wouldn't stop until he did so.

Even if it cost him his life.

* * *

 **(Tyger's 3rd Person POV)**

The former Satyra member narrowed his eyes as he aimed his machine gun at Cat R. Waul.

For once, he was glad to have become a snitch for the terrorist group. At least this way he had government protection from them.

Cat sneered at his ex-minion. "So, Tyger... why is it you decided to betray me after I took you in?" he purred.

"Because of your sick actions!" the cat Mobian growled. "I didn't sign up to become a murderer of innocent children!"

"Oh... such heroic nonsense," Cat chuckled. "We are cats. It is in our nature to want to eat mice. Except this is a more... intellectual way... of going about it. Why waste calories by chasing when you can lure them in and then feast on them, as well as bring in business?"

Tyger's hands shook as he glared at his opposite. "That may be true, but it's also insidious and barbaric! Think of all the families that will never see their children again! Have you no conscience?!"

"Why would I have such feelings for rodents?" Cat asked as he examined one of his paws. "It's evolution that I am following. Despite the fact that we are civilized, we are still animals at heart, Tyger."

The ex-criminal couldn't take it. He let out a roar as he charged at Cat, his Aura flaring and his machine gun spitting out bullets in rage and fury.

Cat's eyes gleamed as he flipped with unnatural grace and landed behind Tyger, his foot whipping out as his magenta Aura flared and his Semblance kicked in. Tyger's Aura took the blow, but he did fall flat on his face. Cat sneered as he hefted his cane and flicked it, a hidden blade springing forth from the interior. It glinted as he prepared to bring it down on the other cat's head.

Tyger groaned as he looked back, and his eyes hardened as he bared his teeth. "Oh, no you don't!" he growled. "Not this time!"

"I'm sure you remember my Semblance, do you not?" Cat purred.

Tyger _did_ remember. And it was why he was so feared in the criminal underworld. Despite being a legitimate businessman and having a real business on his hands, Cat was also well known for his uncanny speed, which was enhanced with his Semblance, Cat's Grace. It boosted his agility to unnatural levels, making him very hard to hit.

"How could I forget?" the orange cat snarled. "You made a fool of me last time!"

"Only because you were too slow on the uptake..." Cat jeered as he flashed his weapon in a fencer's stance.

Tyger hissed as he gritted his teeth. He focused his Aura, and his Semblance started to build up within him. He could feel the distinct rumbling and then he opened his mouth, a large shockwave coming out, accompanied by the loudest belch he could muster.

Cat's eyes widened as he stared in shock, the sneer falling right off his face. "Oh, Glob...!"

Tyger's belch hit him full force and he went rolling, his cane sword flying from his grasp and landing point first in the ground. Cat himself skidded on the ground before coming to a halt, dirt staining his pristine suit and cape. His top hat had been shredded by the belch and subsequent impact with the ground, so when he groaned and sat up, his eyes narrowed to mere slits at seeing what had become of one of his costume's defining features.

"I will strip you to bones for that!" Cat growled.

"I'd like t see you try!" Tyger snarled as he brandished his machine gun.

Cat's face twisted into a look of pure rage, his teeth baring as his eyes flashed in anger. He lunged for the heavyset Mobian, his sword flashing as he lanced out with it in a fencer's fighting style. But despite his girth, Tyger was far from slow. He was a large target, but his fighting style relied more on him using his Semblance to keep close range opponents at bay.

He let out another belch, the shockwave slamming into Cat and knocking him back. He flipped in the air and landed on his feet, skidding before he rushed the other Mobian.

But Tyger was on the move, firing his machine gun to keep Cat at bay. Cat's sword flashed as he slashed at the air, cutting through several bullets, but missing the majority with how many that came his way.

A third belch also added to the assault, leading to Cat flying sideways from the impact against the ground. His cane was still held tightly in his grip, but at least his Semblance had been disrupted. He skidded to a stop and glanced up, his eyes barely containing his rage. A loud yowl escaped the other cat as he lunged for Tyger. But the other feline stood his ground, his Aura flaring as he barely blocked Cat's swing of the cane sword.

His eyes narrowed as he finally roared, shoving the machine gun back against the blade, the metal digging into the machine gun's metal frame.

* * *

 **(Wyle's 3rd Person POV)**

To say he was cornered was an understatement.

Wyle Burp, the former sheriff of Green River, stood as he faced down the dreaded outlaw, Rattlesnake Jake.

In all honesty, he wasn't really terrified of him like so many others were. In his eyes, the experience mattered more than the tricks. And he was the most experienced Huntsman in this town.

"Wyle Burp... former sheriff of thissssss little desssssert resssort town..." Jake purred, his forked tongue flicking in and out with each word. "It will be a pleassssure to kill you... if not ussssse your ssssskull as a trophy stand."

"I don't think so, son," the old dog said calmly. "I've encountered many others like you, and all have fallen at my feet in defeat."

"Then shall we ssssseee who isssss the better gunman?" the snake hissed, his eyes narrowing. His dark green Aura flared as he inched his hand towards his Gatling gun.

Wyle's eyes flicked to it and then his pistols were in his hands, firing off a single shot that nailed the outlaw's Gatling gun and sent his hand flying away from it. While he wasn't clutching at a stump where his hand had been, he was holding his hand which had a neat hole through the palm. He stared at it for a moment before his eyes hardened. "Sssso... playing dirty, are we?"

"That purple Dust is considered dirty!" Wyle shot back. "If you want to prove yourself a gunman, then do so without resorting to such a sinister trick!"

"Ah..." Jake stood up, ignoring the pain in the palm of his hand. "Then where'sssss the fun in that?" His snake lips curled into a sneer as his tongue licked them. "I relish in sssseeeing my victimssss crying in agony and dessspair."

"All the more reason to keep you from running free," Wyle said as he started to circle. If he could just keep Jake from using that blasted Dust, then there was a chance he could hopefully incapacitate him somehow.

The only question was... how?

He had heard of the outlaw, but never expected to be fighting him. He also knew of his Semblance, Fear Resurgence, and of how it was able to bring the victim's greatest fears to life. Not unlike Katz's Semblance, but it was far different in that it generated realistic illusions rather than subsuming the victim's mind in a torrent of terror visions.

The old dog Mobian chewed his lip thoughtfully as he looked around, taking note of the other battles, but at the same time keeping his gaze on the snake Mobian in front of him. He wasn't one to let the slippery devil out of his sight, knowing from stories and newspaper articles of how he fought.

And this one was not about to escape the law this time.


	39. Arc II - Battle at Green River - Part II

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: King Ozric and the Pangaeric Family._

 _Pangaea was not only a world power, but was also the most advanced nation of its time. Yet it all could not have been possible without the leadership of the Royal Family, the Pangaeric Dynasty. Having come to power from a small noble family, the Pangaeric family instituted many needed reforms and policies that made Pangaea the premiere power in the Connected Era. The family's policies and reforms helped bring the people out of destitution and ushered in a new era of peace and prosperity that lasted until their demise in 2985 CE. There have been many rulers of the Pangaeric Royal Family, some less popular than others. But the line as a whole has brought about a new standard of living and education for the common folk._

 _The Royal Family also initiated a means to better combat against the Black Horde. Real time satellite communications. Initially developed as a means to allow for faster communications on the front lines near the Black Hole, it expanded into more than just a communications system: it also became an entertainment method. But its primary purpose remained. This level of connectivity ushered in the era that became known as the Connected Era. The First King of the Pangaeric Line, King Ozcard, declared the new calendar to be in effect upon his son's birth, and thus, the Connected Era was forged._

 _Out of the entire Pangaeric line, the most notable was King Ozric and his wife, Queen Deantia. The fortieth ruler of the kingdom, he was also the kindest, wisest, and the most powerful of his line. And for good reason. As a youth, Ozric had been trained in the ways of war, diplomacy, subterfuge, and manipulation. He was educated in the ways of the mystic arts by the Royal Advisor, Yen Sid, a wizard said to be of immense power - strong enough to affect the very ground upon which he tread. His magical abilities far surpassed even that of the mightiest mage at the time. But he was rivaled in one individual: the Black Mother, as she was known. Her dark magic matched his light magic, but what she did not know was that Yen Sid was also educated in the ways of the dark arts, often combining both arts to enact dangerous, and very destructive, spells._

 _Of course, that was only part of the story. Legend tells that Yen Sid even created the legendary Well of Ozric, said to grant the user their deepest desire, but at a price. This well was forged using both Light and Dark magic, creating a great power that also contained a curse. The source of this well's power turned out to be the Dark Substance itself, altered and contained within a magical field of Twilight Magic, where both Light and Dark are in perfect balance with one another. Inside the field, the Dark Substance was rendered inert and the well was given sentience to communicate with its user, but bound by the laws which Yen Sid affixed to it. This ancient well has been guarded by the Blind Archer clan for centuries, and some say that the original archers have also been rendered immortal by making their wish. (This theory has been challenged by numerous scholars and theorists of the modern era, but so far, no one has come forth to offer an alternative theory.)_

 _Young Ozric was a diligent student, mastering many of Yen Sid's own spells and improving upon their basic concepts. He took over when his father, King Ozric the First, died in his sleep due to a heart condition. And it was around this time that the Dark Seal on the Pit of Darkness began to weaken drastically._

 _*ERROR - FILE REDACTED ** ERROR - FILE REDACTED*_

 _*SKIPPING FILE*_

 _Alas, even King Ozric's biggest gamble was not enough to remove the threat of the Grimm Horde. To this day, no one knows what measures were implemented to try and defeat the horde. All that remains are strange pictograms, oftentimes telling of differing means of killing the Horde. So no one knows the truth behind this strange legacy._

 _All that is known is that whatever Ozric created could possibly turn the tide in the favor of the Huntsman._

 _Close Files_

* * *

 _Opening Files: Armageddon Point_

 _Armageddon Point was the site of the final battle during the Connected Era that led to its demise. The point itself was a massive mountain that loomed over the Pool of Darkness where Sammael was born. And its name fit it well, as massive trees and ruins dotted the landscape._

 _Grimm were said to inhabit the Point, and it was also where the Daughters of the Grimm were based. Not much else is known as most data records from that time have been lost to history._

 _Close Files_

* * *

"What is a secret weapon? That is something many people often claim they possess in dire circumstances. But what does it mean, really? Does it mean a star player? Warriors in reserve? Or a tactical and strategic advantage?" TOM asked as he closed down the King Ozric file.

He pressed a button and up came an image of an encoding machine. "In one historical war, there were numerous advantages that the allied nations possessed their enemies did not, such as the ability to read enemy messages. That secret became known as ULTRA, and set the stage for being able to anticipate and counter their enemy's moves. Then you have another key advantage that changed the whole course of that particular war. An entire nation, capable of converting its entire industry to war while remaining out of reach of both fronts. Then there is the military aspect." Here TOM brought up an image of a nuclear bomb being tested on a bomb range. "The military aspect that changed history forever was the development of atomic weaponry. It was perhaps the best kept secret of the war. But the real weapon that won the war was ULTRA. And had it not been for ULTRA, then who knows what could have happened?"

He pressed the button on the left armrest of his chair and leaned back. "So think about that next time you start to question who has the upper hand."

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology far more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Battle at Green River - Tiger VS Suezo**

* * *

 **(Tiger's 3rd Person POV)**

"So... You continue to stand, even when you are at your weakest..." Suezo sneered as he glared at the other GENO. Tiger bared his teeth, trying to maintain some dignity. But the worst part of this fight was that Suezo was right.

Tiger _was_ exhausted.

He could barely fight.

He could barely stand.

Hell, he could even barely call upon his innate skills for combat he was so weak. But if anything, he was resilient.

That much he was.

He gritted his teeth and stood his ground, even though his legs were shaking with the effort. How he was able to even fight in this condition was beyond him, but that wasn't even the first thing on his mind. The main thing on his mind was getting answers. And he sure as hell was not about to let this chance go.

"You were... never like this... in all the time I knew you!" Tiger rasped. "So why... why the sudden change after... after that battle?!"

"That battle is what made me do this! Especially as you killed her!" Suezo roared. " _You_ killed _her!_ Holly! My best friend! Dead by _your claws and fangs!_ "

"Wrong!" Tiger snarled. His eyes flashed as he slumped, but forced himself back to his feet. "That... that was _not_ my doing! It was _your_ doing!" He glared at his former friend and ally. "And you... you damn well know it as well as I do, despite the lies you keep telling yourself!"

Suezo's eye flashed as he let loose with his Semblance, but Tiger leapt to the side, landing on his feet and nearly collapsing if he didn't stagger back up.

"Frankly, Suezo, I'm disappointed in you! You used to believe in our ideals, and now look! You're as bad as that Black Mother Yen Sid warned the King about!" he spat.

"Do _not_ speak that mage's name!" Suezo yelled, firing off a laser from his eye. But Tiger leapt back, feeling his strength starting to wane. But he had to keep fighting. Or else he wasn't going to survive.

His eyes narrowed as he recalled the last meeting with the King and Queen of Pangaea before the Battle of Armageddon Point - the final battle that led to their country's demise - as well as the last words of Yen Sid before he vanished in battle the next day.

* * *

 **Flashback**

 _Both of them stood in front of the windows of the Imperial Palace, their aides and courtiers surrounding them as they waited for the meeting to begin._

 _Ozric Pangaeric, currently the latest in the Pangaeric Dynasty that ruled Pangaea, the continent named after them, frowned as he studied the skyline of the capital city. His grey eyes were hard and his brown hair was a mess as he ran a hand through it to try and tame it. The King was a solidly built man standing at six foot one, with broad shoulders and chest to compliment his muscular arms and legs. He was dressed in regal finery consisting of a top with armor threads sewn into it to provide some protection, a pair of pants with armor plating and boots on his feet. A blue cape adorned his shoulders, clasped at the pauldrons on his shoulders. Unlike most other monarchs of neighboring countries, King Ozric did not wear an elaborate crown on his head, as he instead chose to wear a mere band of silver with the royal crest on the front._

 _Beside him stood his wife, Queen Deantia Pangaeric. While willowy in build, she was just as tall, and she was an accomplished magi, so skilled that it was often said she tutored under Yen Sid as a little girl. To make up for her lack of physical strength, her magical affinity was just as great as Yen Sid's, a surprise as many women were not able to even tap the magical energies within the Ley lines under the earth. She had long blonde hair and sharp green eyes that never missed a thing, and like her husband, she wore regal finery of their line. The Queen wore a blue shirt with a sort of flared bottom, making it seem like she was wearing a dress when beneath that she wore a pair of riding pants and boots. A blue cape adorned her shoulders as well, clasped at the neck in the manner of a traveling cloak. Like her husband, she wore a simple silver band around her forehead to signify her royal stature. And resting in her left hand was a scepter specially crafted for her unique brand of magicks._

 _And right now, she was in deep meditation as she held her scepter close to her chest, a soft green glow coming from the gem on its tip._

 _The King wasn't one to worry that easily, but if his wife fell into meditation during court, that meant trouble._

 _A few seconds later, her eyes snapped open and she gasped as she staggered back from the return to reality. She raised a hand to her head as Ozric placed a hand around her shoulders. "Are you all right, love?" he asked._

 _"Yes, Ozric," she rasped. "But... what I have witnessed... It is truly terrifying." Her eyes flashed as she glanced at the assembled nobles and courtiers._

 _"What is it you have seen, My Lady?" one of the noblemen asked._

 _A few others nodded, wanting to know._

 _The Queen pursed her lips and bowed her head. "The end of everything..." she whispered. "The end of our country as we know it."_

 _Gasps and murmurs started to drift around the room, some of the courtiers actually looking visibly distressed. One of the noblewomen raised a hand to her mouth before she fainted. Another caught her and looked the Queen in the eyes. "How long?" she asked. "How long until the end?"_

 _Queen Deantia shook her head. "I cannot say for sure. But what I do know from my peerings is that the end of our country will give rise to new ones. And therefore the cycle starts anew."_

 _"Nothing pertaining to_ his _defeat?" a knight asked, his eyes narrowed. "Because we need to find a way to defeat him!_ _If that damned Elemental hadn't done what he did..." His teeth gritted as he clenched his fists._

 _"Believe me, I wish the same thing," the King remarked. "But there is nothing that can be done about it at the moment. Yet what we_ can _do is take out the pool where he was made."_

 _Off to the side, the Searchers, who had been called down to the Imperial Palace after their success in driving back the Fallen from one of the Pangaea Defense Forces' key research centers, looked at Ozric like he was nuts._

 _"Are you even sure that such a thing is possible?!" Hare blurted, his eyes wide. "I mean, not even Yen Sid can do that! And he's_ the _mage we turn to!"_

 _Ozric was silent as he looked at the assembled court. "We can do it. It's taken years, and much time and resources, but we finally have the means to take out the main pool. And this weapon, when dropped into it, will not only remove the Black Monsters here, but also..." He sighed. "Hopefully, across the world as well."_

 _At those words, the entire court stared in shock and silence._

 _If one listened carefully, then maybe they would've heard a cricket or two; it was that quiet._

 _Then one of the courtiers took in a breath and asked, "S...My liege... surely you jest! There is no weapon powerful enough in the entire arsenal of Pangaea to conduct such an action! Not even Yen Sid himself can perform such a feat!"_

 _"That's because it's not magic alone that constitutes this weapon," Ozric began. "In actuality, it is not a spell, or a weapon that we have been using. This weapon is a new kind of bomb. One designed specifically to eliminate that pool... as well as a link to the Black Mother... and possibly her successor, as well." He was dead serious as he voiced those words._

 _"Her successor?" Genki Sakura was confused as he narrowed his eyes. "What exactly do you mean, sir?" The years of war had taken their toll on him, as he was no longer a boy, but a man. His body had bulked up considerably in the aftermath of Epsileon Base's fall, and he was now much taller at five foot ten. His hair was not as wild, and he had ditched his signature cap for a military uniform. Of course, he was still the same as well, but with a much more serious attitude._

 _"I mean..." Ozric turned to the door as the man known as Yen Sid entered the room._

 _Within his arms was a young boy, a boy with wild red hair, pale skin..._

 _And blood red eyes with black sclera._

 _The sight sent shivers down everyone's spines._

 _"The boy right here is destined to become her successor." That was all the mage said before the implications dawned on them all._

 _The mage's eyes were hard as one of the nobles whispered in shock. "How could... how could such a thing be possible?!" he asked._

 _"If that is the case, then we must kill the boy!" a noblewoman shouted. "That way we can secure our future!"_

 _"Have you no knowledge of the truth?!" Yen Sid roared, making everyone present flinch in shock and shame. "The truth is that this boy cannot_ be _killed by any of our weapons, science, or magic!"_

 _"Then how are we supposed to win, dammit?!" a general cried. "You talk as if there is no way to win!"_

 _Yen Sid looked down at the boy who burbled gently, cooing and reaching up with his hands. He seemed innocent and normal enough, but the mage knew better. The darkness within him was starting to change him, and it would only be a matter of time before his urges overcame any and all love he would experience in his lifetime. A spell could delay, but it would only be halting the inevitable, and would it make them any better than the Daughters of the Grimm? He pondered briefly his quest to understand the boy's condition._

 _The mage had taken leave from his royal duties as advisor and court mage, traveling across the lands and across the world to access knowledge long since lost or forgotten. He made contact with several ancient deities, asked them questions and got the same answer from all of them. He headed to the lost libraries and consulted their scrolls, books, texts, tomes, and even data pads. He delved into meditation and scryed the future, seeking any and all timelines that had a victory for the Kingdom of Pangaea or any successor nations. But each time he had only seen the same future: destruction of mankind, Faunus, and Mobians alike at his hands._

 _Except for one._

 _That one future he had seen. It seemed to be a trick, but after consulting and meeting with other mages and the Elementals, he learned it was real. The only thing was that it required a complex series of events to play out accordingly and just right in order to procure even a slight chance of attaining it._

 _And it all hinged on one place he had seen in his visions: a place of advanced technology, with Metal Men far beyond what the Pangaeans possessed, orbital habitats, and even contact with other alien races._

 _Many decried his claims, but the more he thought about it, the better a chance they had at attaining the future of victory if they made contact with them, or if they made contact with this world. One of those two things would lead them to victory. But as to which one, he had no idea._

 _Not even the Elementals knew._

 _He pondered his next words for a moment before he spoke. "There... is a way,_ _" he finally admitted. "But..."_

 _He looked up, holding up one hand and casting a magical circle. The runes on the center flickered as they shifted into an image of several Metal Men, each more advanced than the ones they possessed._

 _"It all hinges on an unknown dimension beyond our own." Yen Sid lowered his hand as the images shifted to show a set of DNA strands, one of them altered and another normal. "This place also is capable of enhancement of the genes we humans share with one another."_

 _"Then they could be a threat!" a nobleman bellowed._

 _"Maybe not," the king mused, cutting everyone off as he lifted his gaze to meet the old mage's. "Isn't that right, Yen Sid?"_

 _Yen Sid said nothing as he eyed Ozric. "That is correct, my lord," he said solemnly. "But for us to find this realm, we must first suffer that which we have sought to avoid for all these years..." Then he frowned. "And you know what that is, King Ozric."_

 _The entire room fell silent as the words hung in the air. Everyone was in shock. To even fathom the destruction of all they had built up... It was inconceivable._

 _And yet, Yen Sid's words held more weight than even those of the Legendary Phoenix, the Guardian of the Imperial Capital City._

 _"My liege... what is your call?" one of the generals asked._

 _King Ozric hung his head and closed his eyes. "Our only option is to prepare for the inevitable. But we will not go down without a fight. So... it is time." He opened his eyes. "Be prepared and enact the mobilization of our secret weapon."_

 _Yen Sid narrowed his eyes. "For all who will fight, I have some words of advice. The future hangs in the balance. Only one choice will allow victory to be achieved. Make your decisions wisely..."_

* * *

The memory faded as Tiger heard Suezo roar as he charged.

The weakened GENO barely avoided the massive fist as he ducked, his eyes narrowing. He growled as he tried to summon his icy abilities, but unfortunately due to his weakened state, he could only muster a small fragment of his power. But as soon as he felt that icy coldness settling in his chest, he fired off a small Ice Bomb, striking Suezo in the eye and making him back off as he struggled to remove it.

"Damn you!" Suezo bellowed.

"Suezo, stop and think!" Tiger snarled as he landed. "Holly didn't die because of me! She died because she went out looking for _you!_ Your disappearance led to her death! Not me!"

The Fallen/GENO finally pried the ice covering his eyelid off and he glared at Tiger, his eye burning red as his Aura seethed. "You... how many times do you have to keep selling me that phony story?!" he cried, firing off a blast from his eyeball.

Tiger leapt to the side and landed, skidding as he looked back over his shoulder at the townsfolk as they scrambled to safer locations. Then he redirected his attention at his former ally. "I am not lying, Suezo! _You_ are the one who's delusional! Not me!"

But the other GENO wasn't hearing any of it. He let out a bellow that shook the ground and earth before charging at Tiger, his fist drawn back for a punch that was sure to take Tiger's head off.

He gritted his teeth as he tried his best to draw on his electrical affinity. While he did feel the tingling as it raced along his spine to his horns, it wasn't as pronounced, and he wondered grimly if it would even do the job of paralyzing the ex-Searcher.

He narrowed his eyes before he roared in response to Suezo's challenge. His amber eyes flashed as he fired off a blast of electricity from his horns, right for the huge GENO. The blast struck him in the chest, earning a howl of agony in response. But as he feared, it wasn't enough to keep him down. "Shit..." Tiger groaned.

Suezo doubled over from the blast, but it wasn't enough to force him to his knees. Instead, he raised his head, his eye blazing a fiery red. He slowly began to straighten up, a sneer crossing his face. "Nice try, traitor!" he growled.

Tiger felt his heart leap into his throat and he gulped. He was definitely in trouble now!

He turned and bolted as fast as he could in his weakened state for a better position. If he couldn't fight directly, maybe he could fight with brains instead of brawn.

He felt his legs shaking as he pushed his battered body to the limit, ignoring the strain on his weakened muscles.

He weaved between panicked tourists and residents of the town, barely avoiding Agunimon as he battled the Food Witch. He dodged a few fin funnels from both Dracon and Wile E. Coyote as they lashed out with their full arsenals of ranged weapons as he ran between them.

At last he spotted what he was looking for: a large plateau that loomed over the town. A barely used hiking path led up its sheer sides, but at least it was something. The wolf-like GENO bolted for it, his eyes narrowing as his vision began to blur a bit. ' _No! Not now! I can't black out now!_ ' he thought as he shook his head. He forced aside the encroaching feeling of unconsciousness, relying on his resilience to keep going.

He wasn't about to back down now!

Suezo's heavy footsteps echoed in his hearing as he staggered up the first few feet of the incline. He could feel his legs shaking as he finally forced his weakened body to continue the climb. His muscles were now spasming and screaming at him as he gritted his teeth. "Shit..." he muttered.

"What? You think you can escape me, traitor?!" Suezo bellowed as he lunged, his massive legs providing enough force to send him flying for the struggling GENO. But Tiger was not one to back down without a fight. He looked back, his amber eyes hard as he crouched and leapt off the hiking trail as the Fallen's massive fist collided with the rock wall. His eye widened as he realized what his former ally had been planning just as the cracking of rock reached his hearing. Suezo looked up, fear crossing his face as he saw the rocks above him starting to give way from their positions in the cliffside.

His scream echoed as Tiger landed on the ground, his legs barely supporting his weight at this point. He looked back over his shoulder and sneered as the rocks collapsed all around Suezo. However, due to his status as a Fallen, no doubt he'd survive his injuries.

They always did for certain.

The GENO smirked as he turned and started to stagger back towards the town, feeling the first twinges of unconsciousness creeping up on him. He ignored it, his will acting as his lifeline at this point. All he could think about was getting back to Green River Resort so he could rest and regain some strength.

And nothing would stop him.

Tiger's eyes narrowed as he staggered, his body aching from the exertions he had put himself through.

He had to make it back to the resort before he blacked out.

He had to.

* * *

 ** _Flashback_**

 _The entire court was in an uproar._

 _"You are mad! We cannot just drop that bomb!" one of the assembled generals roared._

 _"How else are we supposed to stall for as much time as possible?!" King Ozric yelled back. "This is the only way to buy as much time as possible!"_

 _"But what if it fails to work?" a noblewoman insisted. "It is a prototype, no?"_

 _"Not a prototype, but a fully functional weapon. We have tested it, but never in the context we are to use it in," the king admitted. "But these are desperate times, and they call for desperate measures. So we have no choice. We are to drop the bomb."_

 _"And if the Black Mother finds out?" the general asked, his eyes narrowing._

 _"General Long, I have considered this," King Ozric began, "and I have thought it through."_

 _General Long's eyes hardened as the king continued._

 _"And in all honesty, it is better to do it now than have her find out we even developed it to begin with. If she were to find out such a weapon exists... she would do_ anything _to keep us from using it," he said. "Remember, she has spies lurking, mostly those Seers. She could even have spies in this very room. That makes it all the more urgent to drop it now before she learns we have it."_

 _The court continued for a few more hours to finalize the plans before disbanding for the evening._

 _As the last of the courtiers filed out of the room, King Ozric stood before his desk, looking out the window overlooking the Imperial Capitol. His eyes softened as he reflected back on Yen Sid's final words. "_ Only one choice will allow victory to be achieved. _"_

 _He wasn't sure as to why, but he was now suspecting that this was the choice he was supposed to make. Sure it ensured the destruction of his nation and all that it had worked for, but at the same time, it was to set the world on a path towards victory over the Black Monsters, as well as those that were imbued with their powers. And it all began with this crucial decision._

 _"May God watch over us..." he whispered, bowing his head in prayer._

* * *

Tiger's body was shaking by the time he reached the town. He could already see that the others were finishing their fights, much like he had his. His legs shook as he staggered back towards the saloon, only to collapse on the ground, his body now exhausted.

His mind was delirious, so he couldn't even tell friend from foe. All he saw were shapes moving around, and flashes of light dotted his vision.

He thought he saw a dark cloaked shape float past, but it was too hard to make out. Perhaps it was just a tumbleweed. Or maybe a rock rolling past his line of sight. No. It had legs... multiple, if he was right. Or maybe it was just blurry.

Tiger could feel his heart rate soaring, and he shivered as he took in a breath, only to feel cold arms wrap themselves around him. He was held close to a chest that felt cool, yet warm at the same time. It was so hard to tell. Maybe his body heat and fever were making his savior warmer than he intended.

Any coherent reason or thought was sent by the wayside as he tried to figure things out. His mind was just too muddled from his condition.

All he heard was a faint voice before he passed out, falling unconscious in their arms.

* * *

 _His words echoed as he watched the last of the soldiers run out to fight._

 _The base was under attack. That much he knew._

 _And it was all due to the Black Mother knowing of their plans._

 _Tiger's eyes narrowed as he limped back towards the interior of Base Epsileon. His injury was starting to cause him problems. Every breath he took was painful and made it difficult to even walk. His chest ached - no, burned, more like it - as he staggered towards his friends._

 _"We... we don't have much time..." he rasped. "Our forces... can't hold out.. much longer..."_

 _"We know," Genki remarked, his eyes hard. "All because of..." His teeth gritted as he punched the wall with a fist. "I can't believe that he'd turn on us!"_

 _"Not like he had a choice," Hare growled as he knelt and started dabbing at Tiger's wound, earning him a hiss of pain from the GENO. "He was brainwashed by that sludge."_

 _"And now... we're down a Searcher..." Genki growled. "Or more like two..."_

 _The remaining Searchers knew what he meant by that. With the death of Holly and the treason of Suezo, it was just them now. And they were out of options on how to fight. As they needed to heal and recover. But with their injuries, they had only one option left._

 _To seal a few volunteers into the Discs to carry on their legacy._

 _"So... who's going to go?" Hare asked, looking up._

 _The group looked at one another as a loud explosion rocked the base._

 _And all eyes landed on him._

 _Within fifteen minutes, he was in the chamber, being sealed away, while injured. The last thought he had was of his brother, and his former friends and allies as well._

 _Tiger only wished that things had been different instead._


	40. Arc II- Battle at Green River - Part III

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Possession Semblances_

 _Out of many abilities, the most problematic are possession Semblances. These types come in many varieties, ranging from literal possession of another living being to controlling an inanimate object. Some Semblances with this ability can be used through the use of Aura strings to control the body of a living being._

 _The most infamous is the ability of Puppeteer, T. R. Chula's Semblance. He uses strings of Aura to latch onto and then take control of the victim's body, wielding their skills and Semblances against their friends or loved ones. He even prevents them from speaking, often using the voice of the victim to speak directly if he chooses to remain hidden in the shadows. This Semblance has given him the nickname of Spider Puppet, when in reality he is the puppet master._

 _Another Possession Semblance is Nick's Phantasm, but he does not use it for ill gain. He tends to rely on it to gather information on possible enemies from those who back those enemies. This has led to a lot of arrests that left the backers in prison to rot._

 _One other Possession Semblance is known as Mind Swap, where the mind of one individual is supplanted by the mind of the one who uses it. However, this Semblance has a limit in that the swapped persons must be in close proximity, lest they remain permanently swapped._

 _Semblances like this can be resisted, but only if one has incredible willpower. So far, Dracon is the only known Huntsman to resist any Possession Semblances, primarily due to the use of psychoframe in his frame's construction._

 _Close Files_

* * *

"Possession: control, or even property. What does that word mean?" TOM asked as he closed the Possession Semblances file. "In layman's terms, it's simply property or control. But if you get more technical, then it has a number of meanings. In a supernatural sense, it means a spirit, demon, or ghost is possessing a living body to use as a vessel to interact with the realm of the living. In a more practical sense, it means controlling someone or something, or owning someone or something. Such as land or a house. Or in a financial sense, it could also mean owning stocks in companies for money."

TOM leaned back and tented his fingers. "But what if that possession is seen as something else? Like a country? Some countries may seem to be possessions of despotic rulers, and they often treat their people as objects or property or slaves. Take a look at Nazi Germany. The non-Aryans were to be slaves, right? Well... that's where history comes in. To learn from it means to keep it from happening again. After all... those who don't learn from history, are often doomed to repeat it. So learn from the past to ensure a better future for everyone. Regardless of where you come from."

The Toonami host leaned over and pressed the button on the arm rest of his chair. "Got that?"

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology far more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Battle at Green River - Amy and Nick VS Chula**

* * *

 **(Nick's 3rd Person POV)**

"What? Don't you want to _play_ with me?" the nasally voice of T. R. Chula sneered as he fired off his Semblance at the two fighters.

Nick growled as he grabbed Amy and pulled her to the side as the Aura strands barely missed her. She yelped as the two landed on the ground not too far away.

The Huntsman looked back at the spider Mobian, his eyes glittering with glee as he drew out his pistols to assist in his attack.

Nick's eyes hardened as he aimed his rocket launcher, firing off a shot that forced the spider to skitter to the side, eyes widening in shock and disbelief. "Hey! That's not fair!" he whined.

"Says the one who uses a Possession Semblance!" the man growled.

Chula's eyes narrowed as he fired off a few shots from his pistols, forcing both Hunters to duck and cover. "Shit!" Amy hissed. "Now what?"

"I gotta think!" Nick growled. "Give me a moment to come up with something!"

His eyes flicked around, but nothing was present. At least at first glance.

Nick growled to himself. "Dammit...!" He shifted, his gaze locking onto Amy's. "I need some ideas, here!" he muttered.

The pink hedgehog Mobian narrowed her eyes as she finally looked at a crack snaking along the ground. It looked like it had been caused by the intense desert heat, but the way it snaked underneath Chula's feet...

"I got an idea," she said. She pointed to the crack.

Nick looked at it, and at once as he spotted where it went, a sneer formed on his face. "Oh... that will really give him a few busted feet!" he cackled.

Amy smirked as she got her hammer ready as Chula fired a few more rounds at the rocks where they were hiding. "Hey, buggy eyes! Over here!" Nick called as he loaded another rocket. He aimed his launcher and pulled the trigger, sending the shot right for the spider. Chula leapt back, landing right on the crack as the projectile sped past his location and exploded further back.

The female Mobian shrieked as she leapt out of hiding, her hammer swirling with her pink Aura as she slammed it into the ground. The ground buckled, the crack expanding beneath Chula and he looked down. Fear crossed his face and his mouth fell open. "Oh, Glob..."

Amy sneered as she watched him struggle to remain standing. "Bye, bugface!"

However, Chula was not down yet.

As soon as the ground opened up beneath him, he lashed out with his webbing, catching both edges and managing to stay aboveground.

"For Glob's sake!" Amy snarled. "This guy plays dirty!"

Nick nodded as the spider Mobian skittered across the webbing towards the other side of the chasm Amy had created. The Hunter took a chance to peek over the side, and his eyes widened a bit as he saw the shaft of a mine below them. "Hmm..."

But his musings were cut short as Chula aimed his Aura threads at them and fired them off. Nick grabbed Amy and leapt to the side, landing and skidding as he whirled around. "Dammit... I'm starting to run low on rockets!" he muttered as he checked his stash.

"What kind ya got?" Amy asked.

The Hunter pulled one out, and Amy cocked an eyebrow as she stared at the red Dust canister inside the warhead. "Fire Dust?"

He nodded as he loaded it into the launcher. "Yeah. Along with Ice Dust, Wind Dust, and Lightning Dust. I also have one that has Shadow Matter Dust, but I'm not willing to use that one as it's too powerful and illegal." He shifted as he adjusted the launcher before placing it on his back and pulling out a small handgun. "So that one is out for now!"

"Why would you have that?!" Amy cried in shock.

"Last resort," Nick repeated. "Bought it off of a peddler, never asked where he got it or why he was selling it! But I swore to never use it unless there's no choice!" He cocked the handgun and aimed it at Chula as he scurried over to a nearby building and up the side.

His eyes hardened as he pulled the trigger, sending rounds laced with Ice Dust right for the spider.

Chula cackled as he spat a glob of webbing in the form of a shield that detonated the rounds upon impact. Nick snarled as he grasped his gun and ran at Chula. He crouched, and, flaring his Aura, leapt skyward, his handgun barking. Chula's Aura flared as he fired off the strands of energy, trying to latch onto Nick. But his Aura blocked them, allowing him to grab onto one of said strands. He tugged, causing Chula to yelp as he was pulled off the building.

Amy's eyes narrowed as she charged, her pink Aura seething as she drew back her hammer and, with a shriek, she swung it full force.

The outlaw sneered as he placed his feet on Nick and sprang off the surprised Huntsman, causing him to flip as he landed and skidded, his eyes hardening. "Oh, that does it!" he growled.

"I think not!" the spider Mobian cackled as he released more Aura strands.

Amy flared her Aura as she blocked them and Nick's handgun barked a few times, shredding the strands as they came close to him. He checked the mag and snarled. "Shit! I'm running low on ammo!"

"Then may as well use those rockets!" Amy snapped as she spun her hammer to block a few more strands.

Nick's eyes flickered before he nodded. "Right." He grasped his launcher and pulled it out. "But I need some distance!"

"I got ya covered!" Amy growled. Her eyes flashed as she charged at the sneering spider Mobian. "This bug is as good as squashed!"

"I beg to differ!" Chula sneered. He flared his dark gold Aura and fired off a few more strands that Amy blocked... at least she assumed so.

The next thing Amy knew, a mental presence unlike her own mind invaded and then she was... dislodged... so to speak, from her own body. It felt like she was disconnected, left adrift and unable to do much. It was like she was an observer now... an observer in her own body. She could still see and hear, but now it was like she was just... she had no explanation other than it felt like something had hacked into her brain and seized control of her motor functions and nervous system.

The pink Mobian felt her head move, and then she felt a jolt of terror shoot through her awareness as she saw three strands of Aura clinging to her back. Amy was now controlled by Chula's Puppeteer.

Nick saw this and growled as he aimed his launcher, only to pause. His eyes narrowed in frustration. "Shit...! This guy's good!"

"Yes. It will be fun to use her to finish you off!" Amy's voice sneered. Amy herself on the other hand tried to fight, but the control was complete. Chula had full control of her body and voice.

The Hunter looked around, his gaze landing on the building closest to him. "Hmm..."

Amy's body suddenly lunged for him, and he rolled to the side as he aimed his rocket launcher. Nick's finger tightened on the trigger, but he didn't fully press it. He knew Amy was not doing this of her own accord, but it still didn't make the decision right. He hissed as he holstered his launcher before looking around for anything that could sever the Aura strands; the downside to Puppeteer was that the Aura strands could be severed by just about any bladed or beam weapon, as long as it was covered in Aura or some form of Dust.

And right now, there were no real weapons lying around, and Dracon was busy fighting against Wile E. Coyote. His eyes hardened as he clenched his fists and drew out his pistol.

He was a crack shot, but that was only with his launcher; his pistol shooting was very subpar. But what else could he use? He was down to only four rockets, and one illegal warhead.

Nick was in a tight spot.

But considering the circumstances, he really had no choice. He gritted his teeth as he fired the last few rounds in his pistol before holstering it and drawing out his launcher. The rounds didn't do much damage to Amy's Aura, but that was the least of the spider's worries. He rolled as Amy's body lunged, using her Graviton Hammer to try and deal a fatal blow. But the Hunter activated his Semblance and phased through it before returning to solid form. He rolled to the left as Chula opened fire with his pistols, his victim lunging for him from the left. Nick growled as he turned intangible again and slipped into the earth, catching both spider Mobian and victim off guard.

The man swiftly moved through the earth until he sensed Chula right above him. He emerged from the ground and aimed his rocket launcher at the spider Mobian's backside. "All right, bug! Time to be squashed!" he hissed.

Chula had no idea as to what was coming as Nick fired, sending the warhead right for his back. The spider Mobian's Aura flared, but it did little against the intense heat from the Fire Dust. He cried out in pain as his concentration was disrupted. The Aura strands flickered and faded, causing Amy's body to collapse like a lifeless puppet. Nick knew from reaidng up on it that the victim's mind usually took two to three days to meld back into their body on average, and that was time they didn't have at the moment. So he was basically forced to fight the Mobian outlaw by himself.

And with only four rockets left - three, not counting the illegal one - he was running out of options.

But then again, Nick wasn't one to be limited by what weapons he had. There was a reason he was so feared by many rogue Huntsmen.

The Hunter smirked as he suddenly turned intangible and vanished into the earth once more.

Chula scuttled up the side of a building, looking left and right for the man. "Where are you?!" he shrieked. "Show youerself, human!"

"Oh, you want me? Then here I come!" Nick's voice cried from somewhere below. Chula's eyes widened and he looked down just as Nick emerged from the building, his transparent form vanishing down Chula's mouth as his eight legs wriggled helplessly. Nick focused his mind on subduing Chula, but the Mobian wasn't about to be subdued that easily.

After all, there was a reason he was part of the KGB back in the Soviet Union.

He built up mental walls as he battled against the human trying to possess him. Chula's eyes hardened as they flickered between Nick's eye color and his own. "Get...out...of...me...!" he grunted.

"Sorry, no can do!" came his own voice, but controlled by Nick. "I'm not about to let you get away with this again!"

* * *

Amy groaned as she felt herself drifting in her own body. She hated that spider Mobian... so much it made her want to scream out in anger. But unfortunately, she was disconnected from her own limbs and voice. All she could do was be helpless... something she despised greatly. She was an independent woman, strong, driven, and passionate to fight. That was why she had become a Huntress: to avenge Cream and Cheese who had been devoured by unsuspecting consumers when they were cooked into their namesake foods by the Food Witch. All she wanted to do was avenge them and bring the bitch to justice...

But now she was trapped. And she didn't want this to go on. Not one bit!

Her drive pushed her forward, and slowly, she began to reach out back to her limbs. The connections were faint and tenuous, but they were there. Her first objective was to regain her senses, mostly her hearing and sight. Taste, smell, and touch could wait. She felt herself drifting towards the nerves and organs needed for hearing and sight, and within minutes, she had control back. She pried open her eyes, and was greeted with the unusual sight of Chula slugging and hitting himself with his legs and feet. He seemed to be rolling around, grunts and groans coming from him. For a moment, Amy wondered if he was pleasuring himself, but the sight of two gold teeth on the ground quickly dispelled that theory. Nick was also nowhere to be found, so... maybe...

A mental laugh escaped her as she tried to regain control of her vocal cords. The thought of Nick possessing the little freak was enough to make her feel good. At least until she could regain control of her body, with which she could then smack him around - especially with her Semblance and hammer.

Amy watched as he finally let out a cry, one of his hands reaching into his own mouth and pulling out a shimmery, transparent figure. He threw the figure farther away, only for it to return to solid form.

Nick.

The Hunter landed and looked up, a smirk crossing his face. "What? Don't like beating yourself up?" he quipped.

Chula let out a shriek of pure animalistic fury as he lunged for the Huntsman. But Nick's hand flashed out in a punch and collided with his mouth, sending another tooth flying, along with the Mobian himself. Nick ran over to where Amy lay on the ground and knelt, noticing her eyes looking into his.

"Well, guess you're too stubborn to be limited for long," he remarked as he helped her sit up.

Amy finally got control of her vocal cords back and coughed violently a few times before rasping out, "Hell yes..."

She also managed to regain some control over her muscles and limbs. The Huntsman had to admit she was driven, perhaps inhumanely strong in willpower. But even so, she had her limits and she was nearing them. Her legs were the last thing to regain control of, and she staggered to her feet, but she nearly collapsed if Nick didn't catch her.

"C'mon," he said. "Chula was sent flying, but he'll be back."

"Not...surprised..." Amy gasped. Her eyes flicked in the direction of the spider's landing zone and she snorted. "We'll... be ready...?"

Nick nodded. "Yeah. And I got an idea..."

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _"No... Nooo! NOOOOOO!"_

 _The cries echoed as Amy watched in horror. She was currently hiding behind a nearby tree, her hands over her mouth and beside her, Sonic was just as horrified and disgusted. Tails had both hands clasped over his mouth as he struggled to keep himself from puking and giving away their location._

 _Her heart was racing big time as she pulled back, tears pricking at her eyes and running down her cheeks. "Not them...!" she murmured. "No... not them... Please, Glob... Spare them this fate!"_

 _But the god didn't answer. Instead, all she heard was the screaming and then that infernal humming of pleasure as she began to cook. The monster in human flesh donned her signature hat and began to chant, the sweet smell of hot cream drifting over the Mobians' hiding spot. Amy felt like she was going to be sick, knowing what that stuff contained. She had to keep from throwing up._

 _Tails couldn't keep it in any longer. He leaned over and puked._

 _Loudly, too._

 _The humming stopped, and then her voice slithered out of the wood like a snake. "Who's zere?!" she demanded, the sound of her wand being drawn the next thing that followed._

 _Amy glanced at Tails as he looked up, his eyes wide and puke visible on his yellowish orange fur. She wanted to slug him so badly, but at the same time she couldn't blame him for throwing up. She wanted to as well._

 _Sonic, on the other hand, glanced at Amy and Tails. "You guys get out of here!" he said. "I'll handle her!"_

 _"No! It's too dangerous!" Tails protested, grabbing Sonic by the arm. "She'll kill you and then... make you..." His cheek fur turned green again and he pulled back. "Please don't do it!"_

 _"I can do it," Sonic said, giving a grin. "Who's the fastest of us all?" He flashed a thumbs up with a cocky smirk before he turned and faced the direction of the Food Witch. "Besides, I don't want to lose anyone else to her like that. So... I'll keep her busy. You guys go."_

 _Amy looked at Sonic with worry in her green eyes before she clasped his arms and pulled him close, planting a kiss right on his lips. His eyes widened before he pulled back. "Whoa... didn't expect that coming from you..."_

 _"Just be careful... and come back... to all of us..." Amy rasped, feeling a tightness in her chest she was all too familiar with._

 _Sonic gave a wink and a thumbs up before he turned and, using the Speed Dust in his shoes, sped off to meet her in battle._

* * *

"So... that's what happened..." Amy murmured as she sat outside the town with Nick.

The battles were still raging inside, but from the looks of things they were dying down. And Amy had decided to tell Nick the whole story of why she became a Huntress in the first place.

Nick wasn't too surprised, actually. But it still made him sick to hear just what had happened to her friends.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered, "...for your friends' losses. No one should have to go through that. No one."

"I know. But still... I just wish..." She clenched her hands into fists; although still shaky, she was recovering faster than he had expected.

"Just one question. What happened to Sonic after he attacked the Food Witch?"

Amy sighed. "He did manage to get away, but it was just barely," she admitted. "It was so close I was sure he was gonna be turned into a pastry." She shuddered and grimaced. "That bitch..."

Nick scowled. "Hmm. I see. What happened after that?"

"We had to fall back," Amy continued. "Sonic's delaying tactic allowed us to get away, so we did. He met up with us after he drove her off. It was only due to his speed he avoided becoming a food item." Amy shuddered at the thought and she began to weep. "Cream and Cheese... I miss them so much..."

The human Hunter placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. If anything, they'd want you to finish this and end her terror," he said soothingly.

"I hope so..." Amy muttered.

"Oooh, look at this sweet scene!"

The two snapped their gazes towards the cemetery where a familiar spider Mobian was scuttling into view. His eyes were dark with anger as he aimed his pistols at the two. "It makes me sick!" Chula growled.

The spider chewed a bit before he spat a ball of webbing right for them. Amy was on her feet, only to nearly collapse if Nick didn't grab her and pull her aside in the nick of time. He landed on his feet and let go of Amy as she swayed to regain her balance. Her eyes narrowed as she bared her teeth and hefted her hammer in her hands.

"Not gonna happen this time!" Nick snarled. He gripped his launcher and spun it around so the warhead was facing the spider. His idea had been simple: to let him come and then the two Hunters would strike: Amy from the left, Nick from the right.

"Yeah! This is for using me like a puppet!" Amy growled.

Nick was the first to pull the trigger for his weapon. The fire Dust-laced warhead streaked away from the launcher's barrel and Amy lunged, a battle cry erupting from her throat as she swung her hammer towards the ground. Chula was caught off guard by the dual attacks and he cried out as he fired his pistols, ice Dust in one, lightning Dust in the other. The ice Dust rounds missed the rocket, and the lightning Dust rounds were deflected by Amy's hammer as she slammed the head into the ground. The shockwave struck the spider, sending him right for Nick's rocket.

Chula curled his legs in around himself and spat a glob of webbing to form a cocoon around his body. The shaped projectile struck the cocoon and the explosion was enough to send the spider Mobian flying back towards the resort town of Green River. A loud cry followed his trajectory, and Nick sneered. "Well, that'll keep him from pulling the same move."

"That felt so good!" Amy remarked as she rolled her shoulders.

"Yeah. But right now we gotta get back to the town to see if the others need our help," Nick said. He held out a hand, but Amy batted his hand away with her own.

"No thanks. I can walk." She shouldered her hammer and began to walk back towards the town.

Nick frowned, but followed after. He grasped the lightning Dust rocket and slammed it home inside the barrel of his launcher before shouldering it.

The duo made their way back to the town, only to be surprised when they saw the sleek black shape of the Denver Shadow rocket past them. Nick looked down to see they were close to the tracks, and grabbed Amy before the suction of the train drew her after it. He had phased both of them into intangibility so it didn't affect then. He released his Semblance and they became tangible again as the train drew closer to the town.

"Was that...?" Amy's eyes were wide as she recognized the sleek train. She had heard rumors about it, but that only meant that...

"That was," Nick remarked. "That was the Denver Shadow...!"

"Does this mean the Shadow Line is a go?" the pink hedgehog asked.

"I'm not sure, but if the train is here, then that means Dracon must've called it in," the Huntsman mused as he released Amy from his grasp. "We have to move! There could be trouble in the town!"

She nodded and both ran for it.

* * *

The train driver narrowed her eyes as she grasped the brakes. "Wait for it..."

"Cutting it close!" the engineer remarked.

"Wait for it..."

"Just pull the damn brake!" he shouted at her.

The woman's eyes hardened as she tensed. All around her she could feel the power of the train's impressive engines, seething with raw energy and speed. The train vibrated beneath her, and she could almost sense it telling her what to do. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the wheels and the tracks.

The instant was close...

" _NOW!_ " the engineer cried.

The driver's eyes snapped open and she pulled back on the brakes _hard_. The train's wheels let out a squealing sound as power was shunted from the front engine to the rear, the entire cabin going dark except for the control panels which ran on a separate battery source. The cyan and yellow lines within the train glowed, and what few passengers were aboard were jolted in their seats as the shunt was completed. The driver grunted as she pulled back harder, almost willing the train to respond sooner.

The town's station was coming closer, and with it was the sight of smoke billowing from a few fires.

"We got fire!" she cried. "Fire in the town!"

"Any of them close to the station?" the engineer demanded. His fur was bristled as he eyed the scene with keen night vision.

"Not that I can see!" the woman replied. She scanned over the console before her gaze flicked to the scenery outside. Smoke was in the vicinity of the station, but no fires were burning yet. "We're still clear for now!"

The cheetah Mobian nodded. "Good. As soon as we're braked, begin-"


	41. Arc II - Battle at Green River - Part IV

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Cat R. Waul_

 _Cat R. Waul is a former British aristocrat who had long since been exiled from his own family for his... unusual and rather... eccentric tastes._

 _Born in Cornwall, he was a privileged kid who was raised and taught the proper customs for high society. His father, Jake Waul, was said to have been ruthless in his raising of his children, which included Cat. Many people have theorized that this man was the reason Cat's mother went missing, only to wind up as mere bones three days later._

 _No one can verify what happened, but a rumor started when someone said they heard Cat crying as he ate one night - crying for his mother to come back to life. That rumor has since circulated into British upper class gossip, and Jake was deemed a suspicious character that many ostracized after the disappearance of Lady Alicia Waul, a notable British socialite._

 _Cat's life after his exile has been one of opulence and luxury, preferring to use gambling saloons to bring in wealth. His Semblance has been confirmed to enhance his reflexes to great limits, but alas, no one has lived long enough to learn its name._

 _He has been marked by the British Royal Family as a rogue Huntsman and has put a bounty on his head._

 _Close Files_

* * *

"Gossip. It can lead to many new changes, or it can lead to the downfall of certain people. It can also be the start of many unfounded rumors. But what starts it? That is the mystery." TOM closed the Cat R. Waul file and leaned back. "But then again, it could also lead to interesting job opportunities... if you pay attention to the rumor mills. And in law enforcement, gossip can sometimes even lead to catching criminals. If you trust your source, that is. The point is, gossip should never be taken seriously at face value. It's best to always take it with a grain of salt... or in the case of a certain orange cheeto, to not take it at face value _at all_."

He reached over and pressed the button on his left arm rest. "So be careful. Sometimes truth can be lies, and lies can be truth. Use your judgment. And make your choices wisely as well as keep an open mind to the other side's story."

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology far more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Battle at Green River - Tyger VS Cat R. Waul**

* * *

 **(Tyger's 3rd Person POV)**

The memories came first.

Memories of Cat's first offer. He had just been a recent escapee from Satyra, having been involved in numerous attacks against people who fought for Faunus rights. He remembered he was starving, trying to make amends and to just get a decent job. He wandered the desert for two weeks, subsisting on water and dried jerky until he collapsed out of heat exhaustion near Green River. Tyger was taken in, given a place to stay, decent food, and a living wage. He was offered a job as a hunter, and, being the naive fool he was, he took it. Only to realize too late what it was he had been hunting.

In a way, he owed Cat for saving his life. But then again, he didn't owe him anything for having him hunt down innocent mice Mobian children.

That was enough to make his stomach churn and he grimaced as he aimed his machine gun and fired it.

Cat's hand flicked out and his sword snapped out of its cane. The bullets were deflected by the shockwave of air and Tyger snarled as he saw the shimmering wind Dust container in the hilt.

The Gentlemanly Cat sneered as he started to stalk towards the former member of his gang. "You were always a good little kitten," he purred. "Always so eager to please..."

Then his sneer turned into a glower of hatred. "That is until you wised up and squealed on me, like the little pig you are!"

Tyger's eyes narrowed. "I may be a cowardly pig, but even criminals have some honor! You are just downright sick!" he hissed, baring his teeth.

The two Mobians stood facing down one another, one with a sword and the other with a gun. At first glance, it seemed like Tyger would win, but then again, Cat was not known to play fairly. His Semblance, Cat's Reflexes, was just the gamebreaker he always used, and to Tyger, it was downright low. Not even a criminal would disregard their sense of honor to try and best another.

At least those who had sense and honor.

Those like Cat had _no_ honor. Tyger's eyes hardened as he watched Cat gracefully move into a fencing stance. Then he lunged, his blade flashing as Tyger brought up his machine gun to block the attack. He barely stopped the attack, but it was enough to make Cat snarl in anger. He broke off the attack and lunged again, this time going for the orange tabby's gut. Tyger's Aura flashed and deflected the blade, but then there was an arc of lightning coming his way. He tensed and rolled to the side as the shockwave barely missed his fur.

He aimed his machine gun and fired, sending rounds laced with ice Dust for Cat. The dark-furred cat Mobian growled as his scarlet Aura flared, taking the shots, although he was forced back by them. He bared his teeth and with a flick of his sword, he was able to cleave the next set of rounds in half. Tyger's eyes bugged, but then he regained himself and gathered up his Aura, concentrating it in his chest before he belched long and loud.

A visible blast of sound came out of his mouth, striking Cat head on and making him slide back as he landed on the ground on his stomach. The other Mobian was unharmed, but he was going to be feeling that in the morning. He hissed as he staggered to his feet, brandishing his sword. "That is it!" he growled.

Tyger on the other hand groaned as he felt his stomach churning. He grimaced, but managed to at least keep the pain down. He hated his Semblance sometimes. But there was nothing he could do about it. All he could do was deal with the pain.

He managed to ignore the pain as he staggered to his feet. He gritted his teeth and aimed his machine gun at Cat as he rubbed his chest where the burp's waves had struck him. Then he was on the move. His Semblance kicked in and he was in Tyger's face in a flash, his sword driving home for his forehead. Tyger yelped and ducked, his left paw lashing out in a punch and diverting the stab. His right foot whipped out and connected with Cat's bruised chest, earning a gasp as he staggered back from the blow. While his Aura did deflect the force, it wasn't enough to keep him from feeling the impact.

Cat growled as his sword flickered with fire as a fire Dust canister was shoved into the hilt and the lightning Dust canister ejected. He roared as he swung his blade, unleashing a brilliant fiery red shockwave for the other feline. Tyger grimaced as he called upon his Semblance again and burped, sending a shockwave for the fire wave that dissipated it into nothing. Cat narrowed his eyes, as did Tyger.

"So... ready for round three?" Cat sneered as Tyger clapped a paw to his mouth.

The orange feline managed to keep his churning stomach down, but barely. His eyes hardened as he aimed his machine gun and fired several rounds at Cat. The dark colored feline reacted with swiftness enhanced by his Semblance. This was the very thing Tyger hated about him. He was too quick with his reflexes.

"Hey! Need sthome help?" a voice shouted. The next thing Tyger knew, several glops of something stick shot past him and lodged themselves in front of Cat, forcing him to skid to a stop before he shot a glance around for the unknown attacker.

A black and white furred cat Mobian flipped over Tyger and landed, his eyes hardening as he pumped his shotgun. "That'sth far enough, Cat!" he hissed. "Your little sthick hunting comesth to an end!"

Cat cocked an eyebrow, a look of disbelief crossing his face. "Who, me? What sick games?"

"Don't play dumb with me, you sthlimeball!" the newcomer snarled. "Besthidesth, you deserve no lessth than to be executed! And for the record, the name'sth Sylvester Catton!"

Cat's eyes widened at the name, and Tyger stared in shock. What was Sylvester doing here?!

The thoughts were banished from his mind though as Cat lunged again, and Sylvester's cheeks puffed out as he suddenly spat, releasing glops of mud from his mouth. His mudballs splattered the ground near Cat, and one of them actually trapped his cape. Cat looked back and growled before he undid his cape and lunged, his sword flashing in the moonlight.

Sylvester aimed his gun and fired a pair of shells right into his path. The shots slammed into the desert sand, throwing it up as Cat yelped while he shielded his eyes. Sylvester took the chance to sling his gun on his back and lunged, his black and white Aura flaring as he drew back a paw to slug Cat in the face. Cat's sword whistled through the air as he slashed, but the majority of the blade's impact was deflected by the Aura. Sylvester swung his fist, connecting it with Cat's face and sending him staggering back, right into a sticky mudball as a result.

Cat looked down, his eyes widening in surprise. "You.. You son of a bitch!" he screamed, trying to tear his foot free.

"Now's our chance!" Sylvester snarled. "To get answers!"

Tyger nodded as he staggered to his feet and rubbed his aching stomach. The downside to his Semblance was that it took months to recover from the damage it did.

Sylvester stalked over to Cat and grabbed his face, turning it to face him. "Okay, Cat! Sthpill!"

"Spill what?" Cat growled.

"Everything!" Sylvester snarled, his Aura flaring dangerously bright. "What givesth you the right to do this?! To use innocent mouse Mobian infants in your delicacies?!"

"What? I am but a humble businessman trying to thrive in a competitive free market environment!" Cat exclaimed, trying to act horrified.

But Tyger wasn't buying it. He stormed closer to the dark colored Mobian feline and grabbed his shirt. "I know you all too well! Hell, you ordered me to do this! To hunt down those innocent mice Mobians! Well, I have news for you! I'm not a murderer! Least of all a cannibal like you!" His spittle splattered on Cat's face, earning him a grimace.

"And it's sickening!" he added.

Cat's eyes narrowed. "You think I wanted to be involved in what happened to my mother?" he growled lowly. "No... I didn't! But my father, the sicko... he wanted me to do it! He wanted me to do what he did! And I hated it! But I found I reveled in it! I _enjoyed it!_ I enjoyed the taste... and it grew addicting! I was too addicted to its taste to break the habit! But at the same time, I needed another outlet to disguise it."

Sylvester's eyes widened as he started to grasp what Cat was telling him. "Then why didn't you get help for the addiction?!" he cried. "Rather than sthlay all these mice children?!"

"Believe me, I hate it as much as you do! But I can't stop it!" Cat howled as tears began to stream down his face. "I can't! No matter how hard I try!"

Tyger shook the other Mobian by his shirt. "There are ways!" he protested.

"My father, the madman, he was far from stupid... he used his Semblance on me," Cat admitted. "It was just what he wanted. He ingrained that taste into my palate. And he made it an instinct. And I can't break it... the bastard was the only one who could... and he wouldn't even do it. His desire for... for flesh... it was something he reveled in. No wonder the rest of the British upper class despised him... and me..." Cat looked down at his paws, as if they belonged to someone else. "And I want to repent... I really do. But my father won't let me, even after death..."

He finally broke down, sobbing into his paws. Sylvester narrowed his eyes and Tyger looked sick to his stomach. In all honesty, neither one could tell if he was being truthful, or lying. He was a cunning one for a reason. And yet...

Tyger had no answer to what he had heard.

Sylvester's eyes remained narrowed, but he held out a hand. "I may not know if you're being truthful or a liar, but it isth a Huntsthman'sth duty to help. We'll see what we can do."

Cat looked up, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Y... You really mean it?" he asked, his voice cracking.

The black and white cat nodded.

Tyger on the other hand was not so willing. "But what if he's lying?!" he exclaimed. "He could be faking it!"

Sylvester's eyes narrowed at Tyger. "I trustht my gut on thisth one. And it saysth he'sth telling the truth." While Tyger wasn't too keen on accepting it, he had no choice in the matter and he sighed.

"All right. But if he turns on us..." He fingered his machine gun in response and Sylvester nodded, understanding the unsaid message.

The black and white cat's eyes were wary as Cat grasped his hand, and he was pulled to his feet.

And then Cat sneered as he drew back a fist and slugged Sylvester in the gut, causing him to stagger back in shock. Tyger was about to attack, but then Cat was upon the black and white feline, having torn his own feet free from the mud pinning him. His claws were out and he started to go after him, using only his claws to attack his Aura. Sylvester's eyes widened as his awareness kicked in, and he was caught off guard by a pressure in his brain. And then, he could _see_ inside Cat's broken, twisted mind.

He wasn't just being influenced by his father's Semblance. This was much deeper... much more sinister... more... magical...

Sylvester gasped as he realized what had happened. He drew back his feet and kicked Cat in the chest, forcing him off and landing on top of him, his paws pinning the other Mobian to the ground. "Tyger! Grab his sword!" he cried.

Tyger's eyes were wide as he heard the command and he nodded, running for where the sword lay discarded off to the side. He approached it as he looked back at where Sylvester was struggling. Seeing him having to use his full strength, and Cat was going feral, was enough to prompt him to run and scoop up the sword before running back. "Sylvester!" he cried, tossing it at the black and white feline.

The feline Huntsman looked up and his eyes hardened as he leapt into the air as Cat suddenly let out a bellow of hatred, trying to claw his torso to shreds. He lashed out a paw and caught the hilt of Cat's sword before he landed on his feet and bolted for the crazed Mobian. It was now plain to Sylvester what needed to be done.

Cat, despite his intense remorse and guilt, was being possessed by the ghost of his ancestor: the cannibal known only as Cat. Cat R. Waul was nothing more than a mere vessel for this insane madman. And the only way to stop him was to finish him. He could sense the sheer hatred that the cannibal possessed for those thwarting his schemes, and he could only pray to Glob that they weren't too late to save him. Sylvester swung the sword, but Cat grabbed it in his bare hands and tore it free from the other Mobian's grip. Sylvester wasted no time grabbing his shotgun and using it as a handheld weapon as well. While not recommended, the fact he had dozens of nicks and scrapes on the barrels was testament to how often he was forced into close quarters fighting with it.

He grunted as he leaned forward, feeling his leg muscles straining against the other's strength. But he wasn't about to give up. He pushed harder, feeling adrenaline flooding his body's veins. He wasn't about to let this cannibal ghost continue on like this... not while he still lived!

Sylvester's awareness began to expand out, and he could see... no, feel... no, _hear_ the thoughts of the deceased. They were cheering, crying, pleading, shouting, swearing... It almost overwhelmed him. But then he saw it.

A brief image off to his right of Cat's left paw coming for his throat, claws out. He jerked his head to the side as the image faded and was replaced with the real deal. His eyes widened as he realized what just happened. Had he _seen_ the future?!

It seemed impossible... as only a few had that Semblance. But his gift wasn't a Semblance, was it? No. It wasn't. He had no name for it, just... an awareness that a very select few had, one of which was Dracon, but only because of his psychoframe. Sylvester wasn't sure what to call it, but for now, he decided to refer to it as... supernatural cognition. That would work for now.

He let his mind's eye rove to the right and he saw Cat's right foot coming up in a kick and he pulled back, the claws barely grazing the field of his Aura as it flared. He rolled onto his back and sprang to his feet after performing a somersault, his tail swishing behind him.

"What the hell?!" Cat growled, his voice sounding a bit distorted. Sylvester frowned. Oh yeah. This guy was indeed possessed.

Tyger was also surprised. "What the Glob?!" he muttered.

"I wasth right then," Sylvester snarled. "You're possessthing your own desthcendent!"

"So what? The boy's been a good puppet for me, so why should I stop now?!" Cat cackled.

" _BASTARD!_ " Tyger roared, his machine gun shouting its displeasure in a loud stream of tracer rounds. Cat looked back, a sneer forming on his face as he drew back his sword and swung, wind Dust in its hilt, to unleash a shockwave of pure air at him. But the fat cat Mobian rolled to the side with surprising speed and returned fire again.

And Sylvester took that as his cue to strike.

He lashed out a hand and grabbed onto Cat's neck, slamming his forehead into Cat's and sending pain down both their heads and spines.

Then he felt himself disconnect from reality and he was drifting into oblivion.

* * *

 _Sylvester groaned, feeling himself come to from whatever he had drunk last night._

 _He raised a paw and rubbed his forehead to ease the pounding inside his brain. He opened his eyes, half expecting to be back home, getting a scolding from his wife for his reckless actions back in India._

 _However, he was surprised to see that he wasn't at home, but outside an opulent manor in England. The place was very well built and kept up, but at the same time, it seemed to be... old. And decrepit._

 _He slowly staggered to his feet, taking in the surroundings. "Thisth isth..." His voice trailed off as he looked to the left, spotting what appeared to be a young cat Mobian running through the woods, playing..._

 _Or so it seemed. His senses were warning him of something wrong here. Something terribly wrong. The boy seemed like he was playing, but the fact that there was an air of decrepit feeling in the atmosphere was enough to send warning buzzers in his head into overdrive. His eyes flicked left and right, finally landing on the boy as he ran from the woods, a scream coming from his throat. Tears were running down his face and he looked like his clothing was in tatters._

 _Sylvester could see his fur was a dark color, much like Cat's was._

 _"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"_

 _The boy kept screaming as he ran as fast as he could towards the house, only to bounce off a barrier that shimmered in front. The youth looked back, terrified, as something smoky and sinister began to seep out of the woods. "Oh, crap...!" he whimpered. "S-Stay back!"_

 _" **Ooh... Why so eager to escape, my son?** " the smoke hissed. " **You know very well you can't escape... not since the curse...** "_

 _"Please... I just wanna go home!" the boy wailed._

 _" **But you cannot... Cat,** " the smoke purred. " **Not as long as my blood continues to flow through your veins...** "_

 _That was enough for Sylvester. His eyes narrowed as he grasped his shotgun and pulled it free from where it had landed in the mud. He aimed it and spoke sharply to the smoky shape. "Hey! Leave him alone!" he growled._

 _The smoke perked up and turned, exposing a skull-like face to Sylvester as he narrowed his eyes. A part of him wanted to run, but he squashed that, despite the intense fear causing his heart to race. He stood his ground, narrowing his eyes and baring his teeth._

 _" **Oh? What's this? One of those with... the gift? Interesting...** " the smoke whispered. " **But ultimately futile. No weapons can harm me... for I exist in no place but my own.** "_

 _"So you say!" Sylvester growled out. He pulled the trigger... and his shotgun roared. The twin shells arced right for the mist, and then exploded. The smoke cried out in pain and agony as its left side seemed to disintegrate into nothing. Even Sylvester was surprised._

 _He hadn't expected it to actually hit the stuff... or wound the specter. But then again, perhaps there was something about the presence of the deceased here that affected the specter? There was just very little known about the gift he had, but for now he wasn't about to let this opportunity go to waste._

 _" **How did you do that?!** " the smoke roared. " **I am invincible!** "_

 _"Not when you got the dead around you," Sylvester said grimly with a smirk. "And trust me... They are pissthed off at you!"_

* * *

Tyger could only watch as Sylvester lay on the ground, eyes dull and glazed while Cat writhed in agony at some internal war going on. He had no clue as to what was happening, but he wasn't about to let Cat hurt himself in this state.

So he went hunting around for some kind of cord and he found some. He tied up the struggling Mobian feline and was now sitting down on the ground, observing this new development.

His only conclusion was that somehow Sylvester was interfering with the possession of the Mobian's body. But how? He knew of no one who had this kind of ability, unless it pertained to the rumors of Sylvester being able to communicate with the deceased. If that were the case, then would there be others like him? Dracon seemed to be a possibility because very little was known about that psychoframe or whatever it was called that he was equipped with.

And what of that... warrior? The one with the sword. He didn't seem like he had any special abilities, but then again he didn't know much about him. All that he knew was he was a friend of Dracon's. Anyway, did he have the same ability Sylvester did?

That thought was quickly dispelled and Tyger shook his head. There was no way the red-clad warrior had the same power as Sylvester. Otherwise he'd've been more attuned to the situation at the resort.

Cat's groaning increased and he thrashed, his head smacking against the ground as he twitched. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and Tyger got a bad feeling as he spotted what appeared to be thick black smoke oozing out of his ears, nose, mouth, and eyes. He staggered back, his hands clenching on his machine gun as the dark colored feline Mobian suddenly jerked, his back arching and the smoke vanishing back inside. Then his very chest started to... he could only describe the scene as like the flesh and fur on Cat's chest was... wiggling... rippling almost, as something black and smoky began to emerge. It looked almost like...

Was that a _skull?!_

Cat's chest wriggled and twisted as the entity emerged, taking on a skeletal form and... Oh... Oh, now he understood.

The thing possessing Cat was not anything but a Geist. And a very old one, from the looks of things. Or maybe something else...? There was very little known about Geists, but some theorized that one could become a Geist through the negative feelings they possessed. If they were potent enough at death, then the deceased's spirit would transform into the ghostlike Grimm, retaining all memories and intelligence, but unable to communicate other than through possession of the living.

Tyger gripped his machine gun and aimed it at the Geist as it finished emerging from its host. Cat's chest seemed to close up, like it was just mud the thing had exited.

"Shit..." he muttered.

Sylvester's eyes fluttered as he slowly blinked, coming back to the land of the living. He groaned as he sat up, rubbing his forehead. The smoky shape of the Geist hissed as it aimed its fingers at him and lunged. But Sylvester was one step ahead as he rolled to the side, his hand flying for his shotgun and pulling it around.

"Tyger! Now!" he cried.

The fat orange feline nodded as he aimed his gun and fired, sending a barrage of Dust laced bullets right for it. The Geist turned and, had it been possible, would've blanched at the sight of the rounds from the machine gun and shotgun both coming at it.

The ghostlike Grimm dove towards the ground and vanished into it, disappearing from sight.

The two sets of rounds slammed into the earth, throwing sand and dirt skyward as it exploded on contact. Sylvester snorted as he shouldered his gun. "Damn thing got away..."

"Yeah..." Tyger grunted as he rolled his shoulders and he clapped a hand to his mouth as his stomach churned. "Damn ulcers..."

Sylvester placed a paw on Tyger's back. "C'mon. We can get you sthomething for your stomach back at the hotel."

Tyger nodded as he staggered, only to collapse to the ground and puke. Sylvester said nothing as he sat down beside him.

"W-Whu...h'pp..n?" he whispered as he tried to clear his throat of the vomit.

The black and white furred Hunter became deadly serious as he looked at the unconscious form of Cat. "What happened... isth far too sthadisthic for anyone to go through. Histh ancesthor wasth the notoriousth cannibal Caterwau," he explained. "And when he wasth hung by the crown, he swore revenge. He said that histh descendent would bear histh mark and consume the flesh of those who loved unconditionally. Cat wasth just the latest in histh scheme."

"So... he possessed... possessed Cat and consumed his mother?" Tyger rasped, turning green at the implications.

Sylvester's eyes were hard as he nodded. "Yesth. Or rather he wasth possessing Cat's father. After the boy consumed histh mother's flesh... Caterwaul took over his body. A curse of the most insidious magnitude..."

"So Caterwaul will come back?!" Tyger moaned.

"Not for long..." Sylvester muttered as he picked up Cat's limp body. "We'll have to have him sent to sthomeplace safe and then if that ghost showsth up again..." He grinned darkly. "He'll be vaporized on the spot."

Tyger didn't have anything else to say at that.

He turned back towards the battle, just in time to see something large looming out of the darkness. It looked round... and was it coming towards them?!

"Uh... Sylvester... I think we'd better move..." Tyger whimpered.

The other feline looked over and his eyes widened. "RUN!" he roared.

The two broke into a run as a large foot came down towards them, slamming into the ground and sending them rolling. Sylvester managed to keep a firm grip on Cat's body, so thankfully there were no injuries from the fall. He glanced back and his eyes went wide as he stared at the huge form of the Food Witch looming above them.

"Aw, Glob..." he groaned.

The Food Witch cackled as she prepared to cast a spell upon them all...

* * *

 _ **NEW GRIMM SIGHTED**_

 _ **Name: Spirit Geist**_

 _ **Classification: Ghost**_

 _ **Appearance: Looks just like a normal Geist, except older in its bone plating**_

 _ **Abilities: Can possess the living, making them do what they want. Are intelligent and capable of reason, but lack effective method of communication with the living.**_

 _ **Origins: The Spirit Geist is a Grimm formed from the negative feelings of a deceased individual. These feelings draw on the Grimm around them and then the essence seeps towards the spirit, transforming it into a Grimm. Only potent feelings of hatred can lead to these being formed.**_

 _ **Note: It is recommended to kill these Grimm once they have been expelled from the host. Other methods include exorcisms, which can be performed by anyone skilled enough in their use. Otherwise only Hunters of Class IV or V rank can remove them using white Dust, or spirit Dust.**_

* * *

 _ **NEW DUST VARIANT LOGGED**_

 _ **Name: White Dust**_

 _ **Classification: Enhancement**_

 _ **Appearance: Is pure white in crystal and powder form**_

 _ **Abilities: White Dust is the only type of Dust that can remove a Spirit Geist from its host**_

 _ **Origins: UNKNOWN**_


	42. Arc II - Battle at Green River - Part V

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Wyle Burp_

 _Wyle Burp is a former Huntsman who retired ten years ago, taking up residence in Green River after spending time with the Guardsmen._

 _A dog Mobian of few words, he lets his guns do his speaking when confronting the law. His actions always speak louder, but when he does speak, his words are always listened to._

 _A former member of the Guardsmen, he retired after he suffered a knee injury that left him with a slight limp. He took up a job as a sheriff in Green River after his retirement, seeing it as a way to relax and keep his knee from being exerted too much._

 _His reputation as an accurate shooter are more fact than fiction, although some have said that he had his eyes replaced with cybernetic ones rather than being the work of his Semblance, Deadshot. He is known to have killed numerous Grimm and rogue Outlaws over the years, but his biggest and most notorious target is still to be discovered._

 _At least until now._

 _He is a firm believer in justice, even if it is frontier justice. But he never kills without evidence to back up his execution. He doesn't rely on one's word alone, making him an unusual lawman in that regard._

 _Close Files_

* * *

"How does one administer justice, especially in the lawless west?" TOM asked as he closed Wyle's file. He glanced at a nearby monitor to show a group of soldiers from the white ship tackling a madman inside a lab filled with innocent children being forced to become weapons of war. "Well, justice can be dispensed in different ways. Take these soldiers for example. They took down a really sadistic group of men who were nothing more than monsters in human skin, and they handed them over to the world government in their universe."

He tapped a button on his chair and a new screen came up, showing them being executed by firing squad while only two received life sentences. "Most of those madmen were executed, but only two who squealed were given life sentences. So in societies across the multiverse, different forms of justice can be served. Some can be done with trials, others through brutal massacres of the convicted, or who knows what else? So, next time someone says they want to get justice, be glad it's a lawful justice."

He leaned back and tapped the button on the left armrest. "Because not all will be in favor of that."

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology far more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Battle at Green River - Wyle Burpe VS Rattlesnake Jake**

* * *

 **(Wyle's 3rd Person POV)**

Wyle Burp, sheriff of Green River Resort and former Guardsman, had dealt with many criminals in his career as a Huntsman.

But none of them had been as sadistic or powerful as Rattlesnake Jake.

He had heard rumors of the massive snake Mobian, but to actually _see_ him made his fur stand on end and a shudder ran down his spine. With a build like that, he was sure to crush Wyle if he got his hands on him. And that damned Semblance of his made it worse.

Wyle however had a few tricks he picked up during his time in the Guardsmen. One of which could nullify the effects of his Fear Enhancement. His eyes narrowed as he reached for his pistols, pulling them out of their holsters and flicking the safeties to off. He glanced at the huge snake Mobian with a critical gaze before his eyes hardened and he was on the move, his guns snapping up as he ran, firing off a barrage of fire Dust-laced shells. Rattlesnake Jake narrowed his own eyes as he fired his Gatling gun from the hip, sending purple mutagenic Dust rounds at Wyle.

The Dust rounds barely missed Wyle as the dog dodged them, rolling to the side and firing a shot at Jake's gun, aiming to take out the trigger mechanism.

But Jake was faster, despite his immense size. He leapt back, his teeth bared, and landed, skidding back as his dark green Aura flared. Wyle narrowed his eyes as his own dark red Aura flared in response, his eyes flashing a blue color before in his vision a targeting reticle appeared. He waited until the reticle flashed green, aiming at Jake's Gatling gun as soon as it did so. He fired a few shots, but due to Jake's Aura, the Dust bullets just bounced off and he growled.

Jake sneered as he aimed his weapon and returned fire, forcing the old dog to run for it. Despite his limp, he was still as agile as ever, but sometimes his old wound acted up and slowed him down. He only hoped it wouldn't be one of those times.

He shot a brief glance over at where the others were fighting, but he was forced back to his own fight as Jake sneered. "What'sssss the matter, lawman? Isss your wound acting up?" he chuckled.

"As if I'd let you in on that!" Wyle growled. His eyes flickered as he shifted his gaze to another location, his hand flying for a Dust container on his belt and he pulled out a few rounds of ice Dust-laced bullets. He quickly reloaded his left pistol before he aimed it and fired, sending a round for Jake's left leg. As Jake dodged, the massive Mobian's eyes flashed and his Semblance kicked in.

Wyle didn't let the imposing image of Jake looming over him phase him. He ignored the sinister sounds of snakes slithering towards him and just focused on the shape before him. His resolve had been built up over years of enduring such Semblances with some of the outlaws he faced down, so it was incredibly hard to phase him with such terrifying images. It didn't mean he wasn't affected though; it just took much longer.

The former Huntsman spun his right pistol and aimed it, firing off a fire Dust bullet for Jake's left arm.

Jake was _not_ expecting him to hit, let alone while he was under the influence of his Semblance.

That was all it took to cause Jake to break eye contact and Wyle felt reality come crashing down on him. His fur was soaked with sweat, but he brushed it aside as he panted a bit. His extreme focus also drained him mentally.

"Sssso... that'ssss the Dead Focussss... Impresssssive, but not enough!" Jake growled.

Wyle said nothing as he fired a few rounds at the massive snake Mobian.

Jake growled as he rolled to the side, his fist lashing out towards Wyle as he closed in on him. His massive height also gave him an impressive reach. But the sheriff was on the move, blocking with his forearm, using his Aura to soften the blow; Jake's strength was also a factor that made him so dangerous. He felt the blow impact his bones, and had he not used his Aura, he'd be down an arm and therefore vulnerable.

Wyle finally retaliated with a headbutt, his head slamming into Jake's well-toned abs. While not as effective as it could've been, it gave him some much needed breathing room, allowing him to retreat to a safe distance.

Jake's eyes were hard as he fired off his Gatling gun again, sending those purple shells right for Wyle. Wyle's eyes narrowed as his hands snapped up, both pistols held at the ready. He fired off his shots right at the same time, the two sets of rounds colliding and exploding. Jake's snake-like eyes narrowed into mere slits at this stunt. "Your Ssssemblance livessss up to itsssss name," he muttered.

"Yep. And it's the reason I'm still kicking," Wyle replied as he aimed his left pistol and fired off the last Dust round in its chamber. The ice Dust round slammed into Jake''s right foot, freezing it to the ground. Jake looked down at the cold sensation on his foot and he snarled.

The old sheriff took his chance and lunged, his left fist drawn back in a punch. He channeled his Aura into the blow, and with a roar, he slugged the massive outlaw across the cheek. He fell back from the force of the blow, his Aura dissipating as he landed on his back.

While the blow was enough to stun Jake, it wasn't enough to keep him down for long.

Wyle knew Jake was incredibly tough and durable, and he was also a skilled gunslinger, but he had nothing on the sheriff's Semblance. That, and he had no idea as to how long he had been fighting against outlaws like him.

The sheriff landed on the ground, panting as he stood up and rolled his shoulders. "Face it, Jake. I'm not messing around. Especially given who you're working with."

Jake grunted as he came to from his dazed state and sat up. "Sssso? Why doessss it matter? I get paid, I perform my sssservicessss, and then I get to enjoy the sssspoilssss," he remarked.

"The woman you're working with is a very nasty individual, given her... dark tendencies..." Wyle growled. "And you know it's wrong just as I do."

"Why should I be concerned about what that woman issss up to?" Jake sneered. "I'm only in it for the technosssss."

Wyle frowned. He had figured Jake wouldn't be open to reason. "Then you leave me no choice..." he muttered. "I'm gonna have to bring you in."

"I'd like to sssssee you try, lawman!" Jake cackled as he got to his feet, bringing down his Gatling gun on the ice holding him down. The ice around his foot shattered and he straightened up, aiming his Gatling gun at the old dog.

The sheriff was silent as he watched the gun barrels spool up to deliver what Jake assumed to be his final death blow. As soon as the rounds left though, Wyle charged forward, his Aura flaring as he brought up his pistols in front of his face and chest. The rounds of mutagenic Dust were either deflected by his Aura-shielded pistols or missed entirely due to how fast the dog was moving. His eyes flickered as his Semblance targeted the trigger of his enemy's gun. As he ran past, he fired off a shot, and it struck home.

Jake's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief as the trigger was shot clean through, denting it and making it unusable. He landed and whirled around, bringing his gun around to examine the damage. He could now see that the damage was indeed enough to render it unusable. The dented trigger was enough to make him _furious_.

"That issss it!" he hissed. "Your sssskull issss mine!"

He lunged for Wyle, but the dog relied on his smaller size to dodge and he landed on his feet, his right fist lashing out to catch Jake in the chest. His massive build absorbed the blow with ease, but Wyle was not deterred. His free hand flew for his pistol and he whipped it out, snapping the gun up right to Jake's chest and he fired, using the close range to inflict damage to his Aura before it even fully formed. Jake cried out as the bullet's fire Dust scorched his scaly flesh and he was pushed back by the force of the hit.

He smirked as he looked at the downed outlaw. "That's the beauty of being ambidextrous," he remarked, holding his right pistol in his left hand.

Jake landed on his back and skidded a few meters, his Gatling gun detaching from his tail. The weapon landed on the ground, not too far from his position. Wyle looked at Jake with a serious gaze. This time he was not taking any chances. He held up his pistol and aimed it, firing it at Jake's left leg. The shot went right into his kneecap, shattering it and making the snake roar in agony. "Now, you'll stay down," he said.

The outlaw started swearing as he clutched his injured knee, trying to use his Semblance, but the pain was just too great to focus.

With Jake incapacitated by his wound, this gave Wyle time to ponder things.

He sat down a good distance away from Jake and closed his eyes, his Semblance deactivating. A pain suddenly shot through his head and he grunted, trying to clear his blurry vision with a shake of his head.

He could clearly recall when the Food Witch had first shown up. He hadn't told anyone at the resort community about her because he figured she wouldn't be much of a threat. However, as time passed, it became clear that she was up to something.

The first child to vanish had been the daughter of a close friend, and her family had been distraught the whole time the police searched for her. When her body wasn't found, the FBI was called in. It was them who found the remains littering the desert not too far from the town. The mouse Mobian's remains were buried in the family's hometown, and that was when he decided to take action on his own accord. So he began investigating and discovered just what was happening. That was enough for him to consider calling in the Guardsmen, only to hold off when he heard the Dragon of Denver was coming.

In truth, Wyle was glad that he was here, as now the Food Witch would be taken into custody, or better yet, killed.

Then her reign of terror would end and no more children would be eaten by unsuspecting guests.

Wyle took the chance to reach into his pocket and pulled out an old newspaper clipping: the very first one that described the events surrounding the Food Witch's activities.

He leaned back and began to read.

* * *

 **STRANGE DISAPPEARANCES AT GREEN RIVER**

 _GREEN RIVER RESORT - The last few days were tense and filled with fear. No one knew when the next disappearance would occur._

 _It was only the beginning of what was to become a terror unlike any other._

 _Many people were terrified of their children vanishing into the vastness of the desert outside the town. And it only was augmented by the rumors abounding of an insidious individual lurking at the resort._

 _Yet no one had seen or heard of the rogue in question._

 _The rumors in question swirled around the sudden discovery of the Food Witch's presence in the area._

 _But how could one know she was there?_

 _The answer lay in the very disappearances that started happening around that time._

 _Many people have reported seeing a sinister figure sneaking off into the desert, or even a group of three figures slinking into the sandy vastness. But no one has been able to trail or even find them, as they seem to vanish into thin air each and every time. It's almost like they're ghosts or even a mirage. Whatever little evidence exists is usually brushed aside as being not very significant to the case at hand._

 _At least for the moment._

 ** _Who is the Food Witch?_**

 _That is the question on everyone's minds these days._

 _The answer is that no one knows who she is, least of all what she looks like. But what_ is _definitively known is her ability to manipulate food to do her bidding, and even infuse it with life, thanks to both her magic and her Semblance. Her only weakness is that the spells she uses tend to be dark in nature, and so can be canceled by light magic users._

 _Many theories of who she is have spawned over the generations, but none of them have been clear or even accurate._

 _One of these theories is that she is an ancient spirit of food that has come to assume control over the world, trying to pacify the populace so the Grimm could wipe them out or leave them alone. But evidence that debunks this theory has been found in abundance, including a recent study cited by Adam Savage, one of the most well-known Mythbusters on the planet._

 _Another theory that has been well supported is that the Food Witch is connected to the Von Stuffum clan of Bavaria. Her Grimoire has been known to have ancient Bavarian runes inscribed on its cover and on its pages._

 _Of course, until more evidence is gathered, one can only speculate as to the truth._

 ** _What is her motive?_**

 _Many investigators and Hunters the world over have tried to ascertain the Food Witch's motives for her ghastly deeds. One thing they all found disturbing is that she sees herself as a gourmet food connoisseur who likes to make exotic dishes for guests and consumers alike._

 _"The fact that she cooks Mobians into her dishes only makes it disturbing, like something out of a horror film," one of the investigators remarked, speaking under the condition their name not be revealed. "And actually, I'm kind of glad that she's coming into the international spotlight. This way then we can pin her down and have her arrested. Or barring that, killed in battle."_

 _Some have tried to analyze her reasoning for doing such a thing, but no one has been able to properly get a reasoning out of her. So people can only speculate as to her decision._

* * *

The old sheriff put the article away and stood up, cracking his back as he stretched. "Glob... I haven't had that much activity since my days in the Guardsmen."

He took a chance to ponder the next move he had to make.

He could bring in Rattlesnake Jake, but...

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted as he heard the sound of a train horn blowing in the distance. Wyle narrowed his eyes as he listened for it again.

There it was again. He knew the sound of the town's steam locomotive whistle. It was a loud whistle, not like this. This horn was loud and more modern. It sounded like... wait...

Wyle's eyes widened in surprise. That sounded like... a _shinkansen_! But what was one doing out here?!

He looked over in the direction which it was coming from, and he was surprised to see a sleek black shape speeding towards the town. His gaze followed it, and it was there that he saw a huge figure, growing ever larger. He was tempted to run in and help, but at that point his old injury acted up, causing him to grunt in pain. He fell to his knees, his paws flying for his wounded leg. He grasped the knee and nursed it, rubbing it with his hands to try and alleviate the swelling.

"Glob... If only I hadn't been so reckless back then..." he hissed.

The dog remembered the day he got wounded clearly. He recalled facing down a notorious bandit by the name of Screwy McDuck, a distant relative of Scrooge Duck (but from which side of his family remained unclear), just him and his trusty pistols, Law and Order. The duck Mobian had proven to be quite the wily one, using his brains to keep one step ahead of the lawman. He managed to finally corner Screwy, but the duck one-upped him by luring him into a trap that left him with a broken knee for several months. Wyle was left bedridden for that time, and it was on account of his injury that he had to retire from the Guardsmen. But it was with full honors, which was saying something. Quickdraw McGraw had thanked him for his time and service, and even said that if he needed anything, just to ask or call. He found it rather thoughtful of the horse Mobian, but so far he hadn't needed any help as he was more than capable of defending a small town in the middle of the desert, even with a bum knee.

His trip down memory lane was interrupted by what appeared to be a loud screech of agony, and then the most disturbing popping sound he had ever heard.

But with his knee, there was no way the dog Mobian was going to investigate.

All he could do was just sit there, nursing his knee while Jake was struggling with the same injury he had inflicted.

Or wait...

Grunting against the pain starting to flare in his knee, Wyle reached for his coat with one hand, slipping his fingers into a hidden pocket. He pulled out the communicator he had been given after his retirement from the Guardsmen and brought it to face level. He still remembered how to use it, because although he hadn't needed to call in the Guardsmen, he still chatted to Quickdraw about some of the old days from time to time.

He pressed the contact button and raised the antenna. "Hello? Is anyone aboard?"

Wyle got his answer a few minutes later.

" _Wyle. It's been some time,_ " the drawling voice of Quickdraw McGraw answered. " _What's up?_ "

"Well, I managed to get roped into some kind of trouble with the Food Witch down here at Green River," the dog said.

Wyle swore he heard Quickdraw do a spit-take when he heard the name. " _T-The Food Witch?! What in Glob's name is she doing down there?!_ "

The old dog huffed before he began to explain the whole deal. He told Quickdraw about the missing children, and then the arrival of Dracon from Denver. The horse Mobian wasn't too surprised to hear that he had come, but to learn that he had been instrumental in helping to find and track down a young child was something that impressed even him. He knew personally how difficult it was to find someone missing in the desert.

And on top of that, the Food Witch tended to cook her victims into her dishes, and bound the souls to her food creations using her magic.

So when Wyle finished his explanation, Quickdraw let out a whistle. " _That boy's got some talent,_ " he remarked.

"Yeah. I agree with ya there, but right now, I got another issue. You remember that outlaw, Rattlesnake Jake?"

The leader of the Guardsmen huffed. " _Who wouldn't, given that mutagenic Dust of his?_ "

"Well, I got him." Wyle's simple sentence was enough to cause Quickdraw to go silent. "Hello?"

" _How... How in the name of Monty Oum did you manage that?!_ " the horse finally blurted.

"Luck... and my Semblance," the dog explained. "He's down at Green River, with a busted knee. He'll be in agony until it's healed, so he's not going anywhere."

" _I'll be there as soon as I can,_ " Quickdraw replied.

* * *

 **Guardsmen Airship**

Quickdraw McGraw looked to the helmsman of the ship. "You get the coordinates?" he asked.

"Aye, sir. We have the coordinates locked in from the communicator," the coyote Faunus remarked. He spun the wheel to the left, putting the airship into a tight turn. "We'll be within range within ten minutes!"

The horse Mobian pursed his lips as he pondered old Wyle's tale. True he was getting up there in age, but his mind was as keen as ever, and there was no way that he was lying about the Food Witch. Her reputation was infamous enough to have gotten a bounty from even the Guardsmen. And to hear she was at Green River? That only spelled trouble. And he was not looking forward to dealing with her.

Or her creations.

But then again, who could match his gun slinging skills? His eyes narrowed as he folded his arms and looked down.

He was very tempted to linger outside of town until the situation with the Food Witch was resolved, but then again, if Rattlesnake Jake was there, it was imperative they capture him and bring him in to the proper authorities. And the closest city was Denver.

If Jake were to be within the Dragon's Den, it was sure to be impossible, or close to it, for him to escape. But then again, Jake was known to have busted out of even the harshest of prisons.

So he decided on his course of action.

"Prepare to bring us about. Hold off on landing until the Food Witch has been taken care of," he ordered.

"Yes, sir!" the helmsman replied.

He then pressed the comm button to address the entire crew. "All Guardsmen, this is Quickdraw. We are preparing to descend to Green River to aid in the apprehension and arrest of notorious outlaw Rattlesnake Jake," he began. "However, due to circumstances regarding the Food Witch in the same area, we are to hold position until we receive confirmation of her takedown or arrest by subsequent authorities. Due to her abilities, we are to not engage under any circumstances. So I repeat: We are to hold position until notified otherwise."

He heard a few groans coming from some of the other crew, but he brushed it aside and sat back in his command chair, tenting his hooves in front of his mouth.

Now... how to bring in Jake...?

* * *

 **Name: Wyle Burp**

 **Species: Mobian**

 **Aura: Dark Red**

 **Semblance: Deadshot**

 **Description: Wyle can see a targeting reticle in his vision, and it allows him to aim at any target with uncanny accuracy. However, if he uses it for too long, his vision becomes blurry. Prolonged use of it can damage or even rob him of his eyesight.**

 **Weapons: Law and Order**

 **Description: Twin pistols that can fire Dust laced rounds**

* * *

 **Name: Rattlesnake Jake**

 **Species: Mobian**

 **Aura: Dark Green**

 **Semblance: Fear Enhancement**

 **Description: Jake can summon the worst fears of his opponents and manifest them as realistic illusions. This allows him to get the jump on opponents to kill them.**

 **Weapon: Mutagen**

 **Description: A Gatling gun that can fire purple Dust rounds, mutating any organic into a hideous monster, or turning man-made minerals into more purple Dust**


	43. Arc II - Battle at Green River - Part VI

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files:_

 _ERROR_

 _FILE UNAVAILABLE_

 _Close Files_

* * *

"Well, whaddya know. I guess we don't have any files to go over," TOM said as he leaned back. "Actually, this is just like losing something important. When it's a computer file, it can be recovered somehow, but sometimes if the data gets corrupted, then there's no chance of recovery. The same goes for if someone is in a coma. Will they recover? Or will they perish? It can also be the same for conviction. If someone loses their drive... then how can they get it back, if at all?"

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology far more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **Arc II: Battle at Green River - Agunimon and Dracon VS The Food Witch and Wile E. Coyote**

* * *

Yeah. It's me. Dracon.

So far the others had succeeded in taking down their foes. But for me and Agunimon, the real battle was just beginning.

Especially since the Food Witch was teaming up with that Mobian Fallen, Wile E. Coyote.

I was now wary as he sneered at me, his Aura flaring a deep gold color. "Well, this is interesting..." he purred.

I growled in response to his words. I felt my wings arch in a menacing fashion as I crouched a bit. "What do you want?!" I snarled.

Grandma Stuffum chuckled as she looked to him. "Vell, now, zat vould be spoling ze broth, now, vouldn't it?" she snickered.

I began to get a bad feeling in my gut, right where my stomach would've been had I been human still. I wondered what they were up to, and for that matter, what was their endgame objective?

Agunimon narrowed his blue eyes as they hardened into glaciers. "Why did you want the girl?!" he asked.

"Oh, her... vell, she vould've made an excellent delicacy, right? After all, ze young ones are ze most tender, no?" Stuffum asked, rather casually. The way she just ignored the suffering of all those innocent Mobian children... It was enough to make my psychoframe twinge and seethe with raw fury. Her eyes glinted behind her glasses as she held up her want, a sinister grey Aura seeping off her form.

Already I could feel my strength enhancing as my psychoframe began to emit an aura of its own, covering my entire frame from head to toe in flaming greenish white energy.

Agunimon hefted his rifle/katana as he flipped the Dust in the chamber to ice. The blade began to shimmer with icy properties.

The four of us stood each other down, me and Agunimon facing Stuffum and Wile.

Then we lunged and the battle began.

I lashed out with a fist right for Wile's face, but the Mobian Fallen flipped over my punch and whipped his foot around. I blocked with my shield and retaliated with a brutal right cross aimed at his chest. He threw up his Aura and my blow was deflected. I returned the favor by shoving his foot aside from my shield and we broke apart, his backpack fin funnels unfolding from when he had recalled them during our last fight.

I did the same thing with my own funnels, firing them off from my own wings and letting them dart around the battlefield. His were faster, but mine were more accurate, as I had greater experience with them by this point. Green lasers lanced out from his, and pinkish lasers streaked out from mine as they danced around the battlefield. I shifted my position and snapped up my right arm, my beam burst gun swinging into positon before I fired it. The charged shot streaked out and forced him to break off, his fin funnels coming back together to try and form a barrier. The only downside was that no one else, aside from the Vist Foundation, knew how that kind of feature functioned. His beam barrier was less efficient than mine, and it wasn't even able to properly form a barrier. More like a sheet of beam energy.

Wile scowled as he banished his beam barrier and aimed his funnels at my own. But I directed them to dodge and dart, aiming at his fin funnels' engines. The shots were accurate, and some of his fin funnels fell to the ground, engines shot out. But not all of them. The rest were darting around the battlefield so it was hard for me to keep an eye on them. I had to return my focus to Wile himself as he reached for a beam saber hilt attached to his grey backpack unit. He pulled it out and ignited the green blade as I returned my beam burst gun to storage on my right forearm. I flipped the right beam tonfa forward and ignited the glowing pinkish-red blade as I held it up in a defensive manner.

Then the Mobian Fallen lunged, his mask's lenses flashing red. I blocked the slash with my tonfa and then whipped my left foot up in a kick that nailed him in the jaw. His Aura took the blow, but he would be feeling that in the morning! I fired my head Vulcans at his face, but he sensed it incoming and barely rolled to the left, pulling away from my tonfa and getting to his knees, sneering as he waved a hand, as if to mock me.

I snarled at his gesture and returned it with one of my own as I held up my middle finger.

His brow twitched behind that mask, but he didn't take the bait.

"Such a crude gesture," he said. "You honestly think I would fall for something so crass?"

I perked up. "Crass?! You calling me crass?!"

Wile sneered. "Of course. Despite your accomplishments, you're still crass when compared to others, such as Major Glory, or Big Ben."

My wings twitched at being compared to Glory-boy, mostly in the fact that he called me... stupid and uneducated.

"Oh... You are so gonna get a beatdown!" I growled.

"Just try me..." Wile purred as his Aura flared. I lunged, my entire frame encased in greenish white energy like a pseudo-Aura. I thrust my right fist forward, my beam tonfa aimed for his chest. He leaned back, his deep gold Aura taking the blow and he lashed out as he backflipped, his tail smacking me across the faceplate and making me stagger back. My hand flew for my faceplate and I rubbed it a bit. Wile chuckled as he crouched, his fin funnels coming down to hover beside him. I wasn't intimidated one bit. I snapped my wings wide open as I flared my optics. In all honesty, if anyone else had seen me in my angered state, they'd've shit their pants. Wile didn't even flinch. He simply smirked.

We both stood there, fin funnels hovering around us, and then we both lunged again. My fist lashed out and he caught it in one hand, a small shockwave coming from the impact. I grunted as I pushed, trying to shove him down, but he planted his feet and he was only pushed back by my shove.

"That's some strength," he remarked. "But not good enough against me."

That was when I saw the exoskeleton coming up from his backpack to his arms and legs. "Nice trick! But it won't work!" My other fist lashed out and collided with his other hand, but I put all the power in my hydraulics into the punches this time, and I lifted him off the ground, throwing him back as I whipped my frame around. I roared as I did so, catching him off guard with my tactic. He flipped around with the agility a Mobian was known for, and he flared a cluster of thrusters on his backpack unit, landing and looking up.

"What the hell is that?" I asked him.

"Oh, I was hoping you'd ask," Wile sneered. "This, my friend, is the Providence Pack. It gives me basically the same abilities you have, only without the need to have such a device equipped." He gestured to my psychoframe. "Why risk it when I can have all the same abilities, just without something that could risk my emotional stability?"

I felt a twinge of anger within me as I recalled that incident. "That wasn't my fault!" I growled.

"Sure it wasn't..." Wile sneered. "You were responsible. You just don't want to accept that fact!"

"No! I wasn't!" I protested. But... was I? I mean... I didn't even recall much of anything. Just anger, rage, grief, and hatred. As well as an unexplainable urge to kill. So I _knew_ I wasn't responsible for my actions that day. I had just lost it and gone full Feral Mode.

But was that a result of my psychoframe? Or had I willingly engaged in it?

I shook my helm, forcing the thoughts from my processor. ' _No! Don't let him get to you! Stay focused!_ ' I thought to myself.

Wile aimed his fin funnels at me and fired them right for my chest. I reacted by throwing up my own fin funnels in barrier configuration just in time. The beams struck the barrier, pushing me back a bit. But I stood my ground and braced my legs. I pushed back, using my thrusters to give me leverage and I roared as I charged at his fin funnels, barreling through them and knocking them aside, my prism beam shield acting as a makeshift battering ram.

I smirked in my thoughts as Wile summoned his remaining fin funnels back to his side.

Of course, I had no idea as to what would happen next.

* * *

 **(Agunimon's 3rd Person POV)**

The fight was really heating up. He could see Dracon clashing with Wile, his psychoframe's energy acting as a pseudo-Aura while Wile's Aura seethed around him. The two were both going full force, and technically, he figured he should too.

But given his opponent, it didn't seem like he'd have much chance of victory, especially as he didn't know what Grandma Stuffum's Semblance was. He gritted his teeth before he made up his mind. He tossed his katana into the air as he threw off his cloak. He drew on that primal power he knew all too well, allowing it to flood his being and then the familiar fractal coding surrounded his body.

" _Slide Evolution!_ "

He felt the telltale transformation signs as they flooded his being. He could feel the tugging of his wings forming, followed by the pain in his spine as his tail elongated, and his very body changed into a more draconic form. His blue eyes snapped open, holding more of a feral look in them as he flared his wings wide open, shattering the fractal coding around his body. " _BurningGreymon!_ " He cried out his Beast Spirit's name, landing on his feet and catching his katana/rifle as it fell back to earth. He spun the chambered Dust round to land on fire Dust and flames licked at the blade, adding to his imposing image.

"Oooh. Now zis shall be interesting..." Grandma Stuffum purred as she held out her wand. She started to chant, but instead of just magic, her Aura began to seethe and slither out from her portly body, and towards the kitchen of the saloon. At once, BurningGreymon got a bad feeling in his gut and he tensed, bracing for what was to come.

His blue eyes narrowed as he watched the Aura start to draw objects towards her body, looking as if they had just been swallowed by a large snake. He wasn't sure what they were, but something told him it was not good. His eyes hardened as he hefted his katana/rifle in one hand and tensed for battle.

Grandma Stuffum started to cackle as the objects started to meld into her body, seeming to phase into her flesh through her Aura, and BurningGreymon felt sick to his stomach as her flesh wriggled and seethed as she drew upon her magic, fusing it into her Aura. "Yes! Yes! Zis is ze end for you, Dragon!" she cackled as her body began to grow in size.

BurningGreymon hissed as he tensed his muscles. His wings twitched as he grasped his katana/rifle in both hand. Flames began to lick at his armor and body, and he drew upon his fire manipulation to engulf him, like an Aura of sorts. While not the real deal, it was enough to give him a bit of a boost in power. He flared his wings and crouched, springing off the ground as he ran for Grandma Stuffum.

The Food Witch cackled as she thrust a hand out, launching _food_ from her palm right for him! BurningGreymon swung his sword, cutting through it and burning it to a crisp. "Nice try!" he growled.

"Oh, but ze fun has only just begun!" Grandma Stuffum cried. He cocked an eyebrow beneath his helmet before he saw her launch another glob of gooey meat at him, only this time it seemed to seethe and writhe as it landed on the ground as he dodged it. A stink of rotting meat came from the glob, and he was surprised to see the ground beginning to... dissolve... beneath it... like acid! He looked up in shock as Stuffum smirked. "My Semblance, Food Enhancement, allows me to bestow many effects upon ze food I use as veaponry," she explained.

"So that's it..." BurningGreymon snarled. ' _I have to be extra careful then..._ '

Stuffum looked to BurningGreymon and swiped with her wand, unleashing a burst of magic right for him. He rolled to the side and swung his sword, unleashing a fiery shockwave right for her spell, the two blasts colliding in an explosion of sound and light. Under the cover of the smoke, BurningGreymon held out one of his arms and his Rudriya Darpaṇa gauntlet swung into position for his attack. He thrust it forward. " _Pyro Barrage!_ "

A slew of reddish orange lasers fired from his weapon, and he heard Stuffum screech in pain as it hit. He lunged through the smoke, grasping his sword in both hands again as he swung it. "RAAAAAAAAAH!" A roar escaped his throat as he slashed hard, the fire Dust covering the blade in flames. Stuffum's engorged body loomed out of the smoke like an iceberg at sea, and then he was out of the smoke cloud.

His blade made contact with a stalk of celery that sprouted from her chest and he gaped in shock at her new appearance. Parts of her seemed to be made of food and her clothing had torn, exposing her obese body, save for those parts covered in food-like undergarments. The only thing remaining on her was her glasses, and she seemed to be oozing fluids from her pores, like ketchup and mustard, in place of sweat. "Oh, zat is it!" she snarled. She began to chant in an ancient tongue he found hard to understand, and then a large celery stalk emerged from the ground, making him jump into the air and take flight to avoid it. He looked down, his blue eyes hardening as he looked at her.

She drew back a foot and slammed it into the ground. "Now, prepare to feast!" she sneered, waving her wand again.

BurningGreymon was forced to put his katana/rifle away and aimed his golden superweapons at her. The other one snapped open, and both began to hum with power. " _Pyro Barrage!_ " he bellowed.

A large slew of laser bullets fired from his Rudriya Darpana gauntlets, homing in on her newest spell. He had seen the deep red color more than once, and he knew it was a spell meant to turn someone into food. His attack collided with the spell, causing an explosion and making her stagger back from it. Her large foot landed near the rail tracks, and he perked up as his enhanced hearing picked up something... familiar...

He turned his head in that direction briefly, and he had to narrow his eyes to try and make out the shape barreling towards the town and its train station. It... It looked like... Was it really the Denver Bullet-C? No. It couldn't be. For one thing, the Denver Bullet-C was white and dark blue with a pink stripe on the side. _This_ thing was pure black!

Was this the Denver Shadow Dracon had mentioned when they first rode it?

It seemed possible...

But what was it doing _here_?!

 _That_ he needed to know.

BurningGreymon turned and flared his wings, speeding in the direction of the supposed Denver Shadow. As he flew, he could hear Stuffum jogging along the rail tracks, trying to keep pace. She was panting heavily, but the food beneath her flesh gave her incredible staying power, as it could be turned into nutrients to keep her going. His eyes narrowed as he spun around and proceeded to hover directly over the tracks, his keen hearing picking up on the sound of the incoming _shinkansen_. He could tell it was definitely a _shinkansen_ now just from the sound alone. And from the looks of it, it was the Denver Shadow. He watched as Stuffum came to a stop in front of him, and she cackled as she aimed her hand at him, carrots forming on her fingers from the food within her flesh. He braced for the onslaught and drew his katana/rifle before hefting it. "Bring it..." he growled.

The two stood one another down, BurningGreymon waiting for the right time. Stuffum was apparently also hard of hearing in this form, as she didn't even hear the sound of the horn as it blasted through the night air. She only narrowed her eyes as she fired off those carrot spears at the Legendary Warrior. He swung his sword a few times, cutting through them.

She held out her left hand and what appeared to be a tomato sprouted from her palm, and she threw it, forcing the Warrior to dodge the fruit as it splattered off to the side of the tracks. He looked down, concern flooding his face as he realized what she was intending on doing: causing a derailment of the incoming train to try and delay him. If the train was derailed, then he'd have to focus on trying to save it. And if he was focused on that... then she could get away and escape to live another day.

BurningGreymon snarled as he faced her, his eyes hardening into glaciers. "Not this time...!" he hissed.

Stuffum only cackled. "You really zink zat you can vin? I am Grandma Stuffum, my child! And no one, _no one_... escaped from me and lives to tell about it!" she crowed.

"All the more reason to take you down!" the Beast Warrior of Flame spat. His tail swished as he hovered there, his armor and Rudriya Darpana gauntlets gleaming in the light from the moon. He arched his wings before he crouched and with a flap, he charged at her, his sword held out in front.

Stuffum held up a hand and summoned a large stick of celery to her hand and blocked with it, the vegetable proving to be surprisingly durable, no doubt enhanced because of her Semblance.

A loud explosion made him briefly look over in the direction of where Dracon and Wile were doing battle.

He could only hope the Gundam was doing better than he was.

* * *

 **(Dracon's 1st Person POV)**

I grunted as Wile dealt a roundhouse to my shield arm, but I stayed my ground. I looked up, my optics flaring as I pulled away.

"Nice efforts. However futile they are," he sneered.

"Why do you keep insisting that my efforts are futile?!" I growled.

"Because they are." Wile chuckled a bit as he stood up and brushed off his uniform. "Frankly, I don't even see how you mortals can even comprehend trying to attain victory when out of all the futures out there, there is only _one_ future in which you fools win."

My optics widened in shock. " _WHAT?!_ "

"You heard me," Wile sneered. "There is only one future in which you win... and it is therefore impossible to attain."

His Aura flared as he made direct optic contact with me...

And then I suddenly felt...

I still couldn't describe it then, and I can't describe it now. But I can say that I never felt the same after his Aura faded. It felt like... I didn't know what happened, but... I only saw one thing.

Despair.

I couldn't feel anything other than despair.

I was left without any way to fight. My will to fight had completely disappeared, consumed by despair and failure. I was a failure...

All because I hadn't considered the future outcomes. There was no way to attain victory without sacrificing everyone or every _thing_ to stop Sammael and the Fallen.

That was how I felt when Wile left.

I had no idea as to how long it had been, but it felt like an eternity when in reality it had been mere minutes. All I could do was stagger back down towards the train station. My mind was clouded with nothing but thoughts of failure and despair. I could only think ' _How can we win? How can any of us hope to win? Is this war pointless? If so, then why even fight to begin with?_ '

I finally reached the station just as I heard the sound of the Denver Shadow's horn. My optics snapped over to where it was coming...

And then I gasped as I saw Grandma Stuffum. She looked... horrific... to say the least. (Agunimon's account is written above, so look to that for how she looked.)

As she came down towards the winged form of BurningGreymon, I looked to see the Denver Shadow coming her way, and I instantly had an idea of what was about to happen. Her eyes looked down...

And then came the disgusting sound of something fleshy popping. I winced in my thoughts as I saw articles go flying every which way from the sleek shape of the _shinkansen_ as it barreled through her location. I was caught off guard when it happened, so when I looked up and saw the aftermath... well... let's just say you had to be there to see it. Even words can't properly describe it.

With her demise, the case of the missing child Mobian mice came to a close, and the Mousekewitz family was overjoyed to have their daughter back. They returned home the next day, and last I heard they had purchased a state-of-the-art security system from DexLabs and had it installed by the City Guard. I felt a sense of relief for them, but at the same time I wasn't even sure if it would work due to what Wile had pulled on me.

I returned home the same day, and Tina was overjoyed to see that I had made it back. I told her about the details, and well, she said that I should probably seek out someone to help me regain what I had lost. And boy was I lost.

I wasn't sure as to where I should go, but in the end, Tina suggested that I head off in any direction. I spent a few days recuperating before heading out.

And I had no idea as to what lay at the end of that quest.

* * *

 ** _He watched in interest as the Gundam headed off in the direction of the ocean._**

 ** _"So... it seems he's lost his conviction..." Sammael mused._**

 ** _"Not a good sign. I wished to face him at his strongest..." I.O.N.E.S.C.O.U. snarled._**

 ** _"And you shall. I know of a location where he can start that quest to regain what he lost," Sammael said with a smile. "And personally, I find him to be intriguing. So, if he can make it to the top..."_**

 ** _"Ah. You mean Cheyenne Mountain," the Fallen Gundam chuckled._**

 ** _"Yes. Only one has made it to the top in this day and age, and I seek to see a few others as well. For if they do, then they are considered the best. And I wish to see Dracon at his full strength." The Fallen had a smile on his face. "And to see if he really lives up to his former idol's expectations."_**

 ** _"Hm. So he was once a fan of him, right?" I.O.N.E.S.C.O.U. asked._**

 ** _"More than you know," Sammael remarked. "But a journey for him ended and a new one began. And you can see the results of that journey, my friend."_**

 ** _The Devil Gundam knew he had a point. "So you'll help him then?" he asked._**

 ** _"Only until he reaches the top. And then I will test him. If he proves wanting, then he is not worthy of your efforts. But if he can survive me... then he'll be yours."_**

 ** _I.O.N.E.S.C.O.U. rumbled thoughtfully. He wasn't too keen on the red-haired Fallen denying him his prey, but in truth he felt that it was best to let him fight Dracon, so then he could gather intelligence on his frame and arsenal for his own fight._**

 ** _"Very well," he muttered. "I shall leave you to do what you wish with him."_**

 ** _Sammael grinned. "Good. You won't be disappointed, my friend..."_**


	44. EPILOGUE I

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Cheyenne Mountain_

 _Cheyenne Mountain is located within the depths of the Darklands, and is the site of much mystery. Since it is located in such a dark space, no one has been able to find out what secrets lurk within its caverns. All that is known is that it was once home to a military base, now long since abandoned and left to rot._

 _Theories about as to whether or not anything exists beneath the mountain due to a long overgrown tunnel being discovered, but due to the unsafe condition of the tunnel, no one has dared to enter for fear of their safety._

 _What little is known is that monks and Hunters alike have made what is described as the Cheyenne Climb, an attempt to reach the summit of this tall peak. Only a few monks have managed to reach the top where they claim they received enlightenment, and only one Hunter has made it to the top. Scotty Blake attempted the challenge, not to attain wisdom, but to mark himself as the strongest Huntsman in the world. Only those of incredible strength of conviction have reached the top._

 _Close Files_

* * *

"What is a challenge?" TOM asked as he closed the file. "Many people have been challenged in some way or form. Sometimes it can come in the form of a sports challenge, or a political challenge, or even a military challenge. Sometimes it can be from something as simple as an eating contest to something as absurd as a fight because someone is different than you.

He leaned back in his chair. "So, think before you accept a challenge. What is it for? Who issued it? And what exactly will the implications have on the ones who accept, and those who issued it? Well, that's for you to determine." TOM pressed the button on the left armrest of his chair.

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology far more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **EPILOGUE I**

* * *

I wasn't sure exactly where I was going, but I knew I needed to start my journey somewhere.

In all my time as a Gundam, as a Hunter, I had never experienced anything like the despondency and depression that now ravaged at my processor. It felt like some part of me had been stripped away. And the worst part I had no idea as to what it was that I had lost.

As I wandered, all I could think of was trying to find a way to end it.

But the downside was that my frame was far too durable to be killed by minor things like cuts to the wrists. Hell, even a shot to the helm was out.

Over and over my thoughts repeated Wile's words, driving me deeper into depression.

" _There is only_ one _future in which you fools_ win."

" _It is impossible to attain._ "

They just kept circling around in my processor, and I couldn't get rid of them.

I wandered for who knew how long (It was only after I returned that I learned I had been gone for a month.), my mind fixated only on those two sentences. It... It was like I was a shadow of my former self. I was only _existing_ , not _living_ as I had once done. I was only going through the motions of my career and my life. And the worst part was my psychoframe was no longer as potent. It was like I was weaker...

Or at least it was like my strength had decreased.

I kept wandering for a whole until I reached the coast of America. Specifically the coast on the Atlantic Ocean. I wasn't sure why I went there, but I managed to find myself on a research vessel as it departed. The people aboard were more than happy to help me get to my unknown destination. During the whole trip there, I was locked in my quarters, trying to find out what it was I had lost, or delving into meditation to try and seek the answers. But there were no signs of me learning what it was I had lost on my own. So I stayed put, just... sitting and doing nothing. I did read some books in the room, but my mind was not focused on the text. It was more focused on my reasoning for even continuing this futile quest to defeat the Grimm and Fallen.

I ran the question through my processor numerous times, but in the end, it just wasn't worth it and I put myself into recharge for the rest of the trip. I was woken by one of the crew members when he shook my shoulder to let me know we had arrived. I thanked them for their help and exited the ship, hoping to find some place where I could have some peace and quiet to myself.

I wandered around the island where they had docked for a few days before I settled in the ruins of an old hut, still preserved by the cold. I took up refuge inside, finally sitting down in the middle of the shack and bowed my head, closing my optics and just letting myself sit.

If I couldn't die the old fashioned way, I figured I may as well rust to death instead.

I just sat there, not moving a single finger or servo. I kept my head bowed, waiting for the inevitable.

' _...come..._ '

I muted my audios so no one could disturb me.

' _...come..._ '

' _This is it..._ ' I thought. ' _I'm finally gonna die..._ '

' _...come..._ '

I had no idea how wrong I was.

The next thing I heard - yes, heard - was a loud humming in my head and then...

' _...COME..._ '

My optics snapped online and I turned my audios back on to full sensitivity.

I was confused. What was that voice I just heard? And where did it come from?

I got to my feet and made my way out of the old shack, my sensors going at full power. I wasn't sure why I was even doing this, but this voice was just... calling out to me.

I stood outside the shack, my optics narrowed a bit as I listened for that voice.

' _...Come..._ '

I turned in that direction, but in reality I was just guessing. And yet I also somehow knew that that was the direction I wanted to go. I began walking.

That is until my foot landed on something... black.

I looked down, noticing at once that the dirt beyond a certain point was pure black. Almost like it had been burned... Burned by something a long time ago. I knelt and scooped a bit of the dirt up in my hand, holding it close to my face. I ran a scan of it, and the results came back. "... Something ravaged this land..." I whispered.

' _...Come..._ '

I perked up as that unknown voice drifted past my audios. I let the black dirt fall from my hand and I stood up. "Whatever's calling me... It's beyond this..." I murmured.

I began to walk again. My sensors were at full power as I scanned all around me. The voice kept calling me, drawing me closer. I kept walking, unsure of where I was even going. But I knew that that voice was leading me somewhere.

And I was determined to find out where.

I finally broke into a run, that voice calling me louder and louder. I ran through a dead forest, ignoring the charred and scorched trees, the dead skeletons and rotting ships. I bolted past them, finally coming to a large open area, upon which sat a single mountain. I skidded to a stop, my optics widening at the sight of the mountain. "Holy... Glob...!" I breathed. I cast my gaze up its jagged face, and then I saw it.

A single flash of light from the summit.

I narrowed my optics as I continued to walk. It wasn't like the voice was controlling me. No. I was still in full control of my frame. But it felt like I had to search it out, like it was a... like it was a guide or something. I made my way over to the mountain and stopped at its base. I looked up, and for some reason, my sensors were beeping. I wasn't sure what it was I was picking up, but it was an unknown energy. Almost as if someone had been here before...

I brushed it aside though and began to climb. I placed my hands and feet onto the ledges closest to me, and slowly, my journey to the top began. I clambered up the mountain for a good full hour, my systems not even straining. If there was one thing I was glad for, it was that my frame had incredible endurance. (About the only good thing, in my state of mind back then.) I finally reached the summit and clambered onto the ledge overlooking a small hole. I narrowed my optics as I started to clamber down into it.

My frame's shoulders were barely able to squeeze through the opening, but I managed. I slowly inched my six-foot-two height into the hole and stood up, my optics being the only light in the darkened chamber, aside from the red glowing lines. I looked down at one of them and narrowed my optics. It seemed to me like this place sat atop a dormant volcano, which wasn't that unusual as some volcanoes like the one in Townsville had buildings or labs built on top of them.

If there was one good thing, it was that my frame could take a pounding. But when it came to an active volcano, well, even I would be incinerated. "If this thing goes off while I'm here, may be for the better," I muttered to myself.

But that voice...

' _...Come..._ '

I snapped my head up and looked at the area where it was coming from. A dim red light pulsed somewhere from deep within the mountain and I tensed.

Slowly, I lowered one foot down onto the heated ground...

And then I heard a loud snapping noise. My optics shot up towards the ceiling as large spears descended towards me. I broke into a run, my hydraulics putting out extra force as I drew on their power. I pushed my frame as I dashed past several more spears, my cloak getting a few new tears in it as I ran. My audios picked up some slight grinding of stone on stone and I looked up, my optics widening as I saw two large jagged edges of rock beginning to close in on me. I drew my Hyper Beam Sword out of my shield on instinct and leapt, the blade humming as I slashed through the rock and landed on the other side, panting from the surprise trap. I looked back over my shoulder and shuddered.

"Man... That was _way_ too close..." I murmured in shock.

And there was no way I could go back now.

I gulped and turned to face the pathway before me as I holstered my sword in its shield.

The red light at the end of the tunnel pulsed.

' _...Come..._ '

I narrowed my optics. ' _Does this voice really expect me to keep following? I may as well stay here and wait for-_ ' My thoughts were interrupted as I felt the ground shaking. I looked down, then up, and I swore my reactor ceased to function at the sight of the ceiling beginning to descend onto me!

"A fool I be!" I blurted out loud.

I broke into a run, pushing the hydraulics in my legs to their limit. The ceiling was getting closer with each step, and I pushed myself as hard as I could. I felt the heat of the magma lines starting to scorch my armor, but I brushed it aside as I spotted the end of the path. I had little time to think, so I crouched and, with a burst of my thrusters, I leapt out of the passage and landed flat on my chest as it slammed shut behind me.

The bad news? I had landed chest first on a slippery slope of rock. I skidded down it on my face until I came to the bottom and lay there, groaning. I forced myself to get to my hands and knees, and I coughed a few times on reflex to expel any fine, loose rock from my intakes. I slapped myself in the chest a few times before I expelled the last of the stuff from my vents.

I looked up, my optics narrowing as I saw another tunnel, this time covered in spider webs. I hesitated, reaching up a hand and lightly tugging on one The strand snapped...

And I jerked back in surprise at seeing large red shards of stone streaking out of the walls. It seemed endless... And there was no way even I'd make it through without some serious damage. I flexed my wings a bit, then decided against using my beam barrier. I cast my gaze around, looking at a pair of corpses. They had been stripped of their shields, but not too far off were a few more corpses. They were just literally piles of bones, but their shields were intact. Both looked ornate, like something from the ancient days of Vikings. I felt a bit uneasy, but in this case, I had to make do. I wasn't willing to trust my own equipment in my current state - which I later learned was a good thing because it relied on my mental commands to work, and if I was set on dying, then it wouldn't protect me.

I gulped nervously as I said a small prayer to Glob and grasped the shields, pulling them free from their deceased owners and hefting them.

I hesitated before I leapt, the shields taking the brunt of the damage. I could hear it, and it sounded like bullets hitting a metal door. My feet pounded the stone as I ran, and I could sense them starting to give. I only had a matter of seconds before the shields gave and I wasn't about to let myself be destroyed by this stuff. I ran faster, my legs' hydraulics starting to ache from all the intense activity I was putting them through. I crouched and leapt again, this time tossing the shields as I flipped and landed on the rock beyond the shards.

My foot slipped out from under me and I yelped as I tried to regain my balance, only for me to land on my aft. I went sliding down that loose rock on my butt, right out of a hole in the wall.

My optics widened as I saw what was below me.

Spikes.

Lots and lots of spikes...

All filled with the corpses of those who fell to their doom.

Instinct kicked in and I flared my wings as I kicked on my flight pack, using a short burst of my thrusters to glide past the spikes onto a narrow ledge not too far. I landed on my feet and folded my wings, panting as I looked back over my shoulder. "D...Damn... What have I gotten myself into?" I murmured.

But it wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.

I looked back as my sensors detected a spike in the temperature behind me, and I gasped as jets of hot steaming air shot out from the wall, as if moving in a line towards me. I broke into a run, spotting more of them and I leapt over a few, barely avoiding getting scorched by them. I landed on the other side of a large cluster, feeling a bit nervous and downright foolish.

I straightened up and groaned to myself at the sight of a gate that looked all too much like a demonic face. I watched it with wariness, noting the amount of force that it put out upon smashing together. I narrowed my optics as I tensed my frame. If I was too slow, I could lose a limb, or worse. I wasn't about to take that chance.

I leapt.

And landed safely on the other side.

Only to be greeted by a second gate. I rolled my violet optics before I crouched and leapt again. I passed through several more gates like it, only to come out the other side in the middle of thin air...

Over another canyon.

I looked down as I fell, my optics widening as I saw a tunnel laced with rotating spikes. I narrowed my optics as I positioned myself so I was falling headfirst. I placed my arms against my sides and tucked my wings as close to my back as I could get them. I fell faster than I had anticipated, and around me those spikes whirred, barely clipping my cloak as I was holding it close to my frame. I spotted the bottom coming up and as I passed out of the hole, I twisted my frame around so my feet were taking the brunt of the impact with the ground. I actually wound up rolling to a stop, coming to rest on one knee.

I heard something rumbling and I shot a glance up the tunnel, only to stare in shock at the magma that came flowing out of holes in the wall. I scrambled to my feet and ran for it as fast as I could. My reactor was now racing big time in my chest as I spotted a large cluster of stones beyond. I didn't even hesitated as I leapt, landing on one as the magma fell into the larger sea of magma below me.

The rock I was standing on shook and I looked down, noticing how it was sinking. I crouched and leapt off, landing on another one, then another and another before I reached the large island in the middle.

I was panting by this time, feeling the first signs of overheating starting to flood my frame. I opened my vents and expelled a little steam from them as I tugged on the cloak around my neck. "Geez... It's hot..."

I stepped forward...

And was forced to throw my arms up in front of my face and chest as something _massive_ erupted from the center of this island. I staggered back, my cloak blowing about my frame as the lava and heat died down. I slowly lowered my arms, and I gasped in shock at the huge entity standing before me. It was much taller than me at any rate. It was entirely black, but I could make out the faint composition of crystals within it. A light beneath my foot caught my optic and I glanced down, surprised to see red lines snaking their way towards the black creature. They traveled up its body, outlining joints, and other components like armor. The red lines reminded me of my psychoframe in some way, with the way they pulsed and shone with power. Its smoking body began to glow, and its eyes slowly opened, exposing red sclera and bright white orbs of light that shone like a sun. It slowly raised its hand and I tensed as it seemed to grow crystals and expand before a narrow shaft extended from the head to the giant's fist.

It took a step towards me and the entire island shook. I backed up, prepared to run.

The giant locked its gaze on me and then it spoke.

" _ **Welcome...**_ " it said in a voice much like my own, but a bit higher in tone, " _ **...to your doom!**_ "

I tensed as I clenched my fists. "Were you the one who called me here?" I asked.

" ** _What of it? It doesn't matter... For now it's your turn,_** " the giant said.

I was confused, but I didn't get a chance to ask my question because the giant swung its mace towards me, making me gasp in shock. I leapt to the side, my hand flying for my Hyper Beam sword and pulling it out of its holster. I landed on my feet and skidded to a stop, bringing up my blade and catching it on the mace. I pushed with my own strength, matching this thing in brute power. I grunted as I twisted my sword and shoved the mace aside, leaping away and making the giant stagger back. It looked up, its eyes flashing brightly.

I tensed my frame as the giant swung again.

"What's the meaning of this?!" I cried. "Why call me here in the first place?! Did you cause all those lives to be lost?!"

The giant's mace came at me, and I rolled to the side as it slammed into the island. The very ground shook and a little rubble came from the ceiling. I looked up, but the chamber was still holding. I looked back at the creature as it swung its mace at me once more. I again dodged to the side, this time by running for it.

" _ **My purpose is to battle.**_ " That was all the lava golem said.

I was no stranger to battle. I had fought many, Grimm, Fallen, and rogues alike.

And yet...something about this... thing's... purpose seemed... wrong. I didn't know how to explain it, but it felt like it was just... fighting for fighting's sake. Like there was no purpose behind it. Much like how I was fighting without a purpose, seeing as how the Grimm were unbeatable. Even Sammael was unbeatable. There was no way we could win...

A cry suddenly caught me off guard and my thoughts were interrupted. I felt so foolish for letting my thoughts wander during a fight for survival. The creature swung its mace down at me, but I rolled to the side, my cloak getting clipped by the mace. I grunted as I skidded to a stop on one knee, my hand flying for the cloak's tie. I didn't really need it if I was gonna die here, right? I grasped it and tore it off, throwing it away into the lava behind me. I hefted my sword, steeling myself for the inevitable fight.

The lava golem charged at me, but I swiftly dodged to the side, my sword lashing out and causing a gash on its side. But it just ignored the small nick and swung that mace. I leapt to the side, relying on my smaller size and agility to avoid getting hit. I remembered from experience against the Nevermore that size was what mattered. It had been huge, much like this thing, and while it had been swift, this giant was not as swift and compensated for its lack of speed with brute strength. My frame, on the other hand, was a perfect balance of strength, speed, and durability.

I broke into a run, my sword's beam edges igniting as I pressed the button on its hilt. I swung, the tip barely grazing the side of the creature as it swung that mace, this time forcing me to switch sword hands and I slashed again, this time causing a much deeper and more noticeable gash to appear on its side.

A roar of pain escaped it, and I staggered back, panting as I felt steam coming off my armor plating. I watched in surprise as fire and lava seemed to drip from its wound.

The creature looked at me, and then its mouth curled into what could only be a smirk. I waited in wariness as it spoke, eyeing the wound in what appeared to be fascination.

" _ **At last... A second worthy adversary... After all these years...**_ " it whispered. I tensed as the lava golem got to its feet. " ** _But I wonder... will you succeed where she failed?_** "

Now I was _very_ confused. "Okay. What do you mean by that?" I asked.

The lava golem didn't answer. Instead it swung its massive fist at me, and I leapt up, using my thrusters to my advantage, although I wasn't sure if I should. I flipped over the golem and swung my sword at its arm, cutting its wrist and making it drop the mace to the ground. I landed behind it and held my sword at the ready as the creature staggered and turned to face me.

" _ **I have waited a thousand years for this... And now my goal shall finally be in my grasp!**_ " the lava golem bellowed. It held out its hand and I watched in fascination and horror as its hand began to shift and change, becoming a crystalline sword. The rock around the sword melted back into its hand as it clenched around the hilt. " _ **This battle must continue until the end!**_ "

I wasn't too keen on fighting a monster for its own amusement. Actually, now that I thought about it... what was this thing's purpose? Was it simply trying to end it all like I was? If so, then why was I even fighting myself? I was so tempted to just drop my sword and let it cleave me in half.

But... I wasn't sure why I wasn't going through with it. I just stood there, holding my sword at the ready. "...So be it," I muttered. "If you want to fight, then bring it!"

" ** _Yes!_** " the golem cried.

The golem charged at me, swinging its sword down towards my chest. I shifted my stance and blocked with the sharp edge of my blade, putting my strength into it. The golem was strong, much stronger than a human at any rate, but my Gundam frame allowed me to match its strength with ease. At least that's what it would normally do. Right now, since I was a lot weaker without my psychoframe, I was having to put effort into blocking this thing. But at least I was able to hold my own against it. I took note of the golem's fighting style, which relied mostly on brute strength in comparison to some others I had fought. And right now, I was having to rely more on precise strikes and blows to allow me to keep an edge against this thing.

I had to admit, this thing was strong. Much stronger than I had anticipated. My blows were not as strong, but were more precise as I was using my sensors to target its weak points. I finally leapt at the creature and swung, my blade glancing off its sword as it blocked the attempted strike at its chest. I slashed again and again, but my sword just kept glancing off its blade before it retaliated with enough strength that it could've killed a normal human being.

"What's your purpose to fight?!" I cried. "And what did you mean by someone else being here before me?!"

" _ **My purpose does not matter to one such as you! And as for what I meant, there was one other who came before you! But she wouldn't strike me down... not since I was so close to my goal! So, will you succeed where she failed? Or will you refuse as well?**_ " the golem asked as it swung at me again. I rolled to the right, using my sword to block its next attack, an overhead swing to cut my arm off.

I narrowed my optics as I stood up. "..." I was silent as the lava golem lunged and I sprang back, flaring my wings wide open to grant me flight. I ignited my thruster pack and I hovered there, holding my sword in one hand.

" ** _Only finishing this fight should be what matters!_** " the creature roared, leaping up to clash with me again. But I flitted to the left, using my aerial abilities to my advantage.

"No. This has gone on far enough!" I said, sheathing my sword. "I won't fight anymore if you're only fighting for amusement!"

" ** _But that... is... the... POINT!_** " the giant roared, firing off two beams of light from its eyes. I reacted by blocking with my shield, only to be pushed back by them.

" ** _I will not be denied!_** " With that cry, the lava golem threw its sword at me, but I caught it in one hand and tossed it aside.

"No!" I repeated. "I won't!"

But the golem wasn't about to give up. It leapt into the air, its hands extended to grab me and throw me into the lava, no doubt. I was tempted to let it, but that same instinct told me not to. I was surprised when I found myself dodging it. I wasn't sure as to what was happening, but apparently something was telling me to stay alive. But why?

I brushed the thoughts aside as I tensed and let loose a punch on the golem. My fist connected solidly with its chest and I let out a battle cry as I pushed the golem down to the center of the island, my thrusters roaring in my audio receptors. All eight of them.

The two of us slammed into the ground, and I leapt off the golem's chest, landing lightly on the balls of my metal feet and folding my wings.

"Face it. You don't stand a chance," I said. "I've beaten you, and if you surrender, I'll let you live."

The golem growled as it sat up, its red eyes fixed on my violet gaze. " ** _You're just like her... the one who came before you. You won't end it for me..._** "

"What's the point then?" I asked. "Why call all these warriors here, only to do battle with them?"

" ** _..._** " The golem raised a hand to its face, and I watched as it flexed the fingers, as if studying them. " ** _Because... I seek to be free... of the curse that binds this man to the rock body before you..._** "

My optics widened in shock. "W...What... _are_ you?" I rasped.

" ** _A man... a cursed man trapped in a rock body,_** " the golem said as it studied its hand.

"You were... a human once?" I asked.

The golem nodded.

I had to admit, I thought a human whose mind was transferred to a robotic frame was the weirdest thing. But to hear of this, a man trapped in a rock body? Well, that took the cake. At least Digimon could be somewhat explained easily. This... This was just downright weird and... wrong...

I watched as the golem raised its hand and I tensed, but instead of it striking me, the golem held its hand over the rock. I looked down as the ground began to shake there and then in a flash of light, a towering obelisk of stone shot up to meet the giant's hand. On it were engravings I had only heard about, but never seen. They looked like old Norse runes.

" ** _I have engraved a recording of my past so that I would not forget the live I lived, nor the man I was. So those of my people would not be lost to the dust of time,_** " the golem said as it looked at its hand again.

"..." I walked up to the stone and looked them over. "You once lived on this island?" I asked.

" ** _Aye. That I did. We were Vikings. And this place was once called Berk,_** " the golem explained. " ** _Winter lasted nine months here, and while it did not look like much, it held secrets of its own, secrets that only those of us who lived here knew._** "

The golem reached its other hand out and tapped the stone, pointing to carvings that I could see were draconic in shape. My optics widened as I slowly hovered off the ground using my thrusters. Now that I could see them, they looked a lot like...

"Dragons?" I breathed.

" ** _What we had were dragons,_** " the golem confirmed with a nod. " ** _They were as real as the rock around us, as real as the body you see before you... as real as the frame you wear. For a time, we were at war with them, as they had been stealing our food to give to their alpha, a massive beast that had enslaved them. I was only a boy at the time, and no one ever thought I'd amount to anything. Even when I caught a dragon... I let him go._** "

The golem looked to me, a smile crossing its rock lips. " ** _I learned that they were not mindless beasts as people had assumed. I learned that they were really noble creatures, and that they could bring people together. I have to admit it was hard to convince the rest of my tribe to see things the same way, but in the end we accepted one another and peace reigned for a time. But..._** " Here the golem's eyes darkened a shade. " ** _I soon learned that peace was not everlasting._** "

Its finger drifted up to show the carving of a muscular man on a dragon. " ** _A man from a distant land came. His village had been burned by the dragons, and he sought to use them to create an army that he could use to enslave the world. My father, who was the chief of the tribe at the time, warned me of this man and said to me 'men who kill for no reason cannot be reasoned with.'_** "

I couldn't help but agree with his father's sentiment at those words.

" ** _I refused to heed his words and struck out on my own in an attempt to get him to see reason. But the madman failed to listen to me... and my father paid the ultimate price._** " The golem hung its head and I felt a twinge of sympathy fill my chest. " ** _I learned I was not the peacekeeper I thought I was that day._** "

I was stunned at his tale. But something told me it was far from finished.

"Why... why did you give up?" I asked.

" ** _You must understand. I had no choice in the matter. I had to stop his plans, and I did. After that, when I became chief, I swore to protect my people at all costs. And I did... until that day,_** " the golem whispered.

Its hand drifted up to a series of carvings showing the familiar shapes of Grimm. "Grimm..." I growled, my wings arching themselves.

" ** _The creatures you referred to as Grimm._** " The golem nodded. " ** _We had no knowledge of them at the time, but when they reached our corner of the world, we fought back. They attacked any settlements that existed on the surrounding islands. We fought as hard as we could, and with the dragons at our side, we fended off their attacks for years._** "

The golem gestured to a cluster of carvings showing a fight between several dragons, their riders, and the Grimm. Then its hand moved to another image of the same man from before, but with Grimm beside him. " ** _Our doom came upon us when the warlord returned, but with Grimm at his side. While it is unusual for them to ally themselves with a mere human, it was not so. He was allied with someone far worse... That individual offered him a chance for vengeance, to destroy everything we had build and all that I loved. And the Grimm saw dragons as a threat. So with the madman leading them, they wiped out everything._** "

Its hand flittered up to another carving of the same dragons and Vikings, fighting side by side against the Grimm. " ** _We fought to the best of our abilities, but even our determination and drive was not enough. The Grimm came without end, and as time passed, it became clear that we needed to leave. So I urged my tribe to flee with their children while my comrades and I bought time for them. We made our stand... and then_ he _came._** "

The golem's glowing eyes landed on the image of a hooded man, seemingly directing the Grimm. My optics narrowed and I shuddered a bit. I had a sinking feeling I knew who this figure was.

The entity looked directly at me. " ** _He came through the fire, directing the Grimm. He locked his eyes on me, not the eyes of a man, but those of a Grimm. He was the one, I knew, responsible for everything that had taken place up to this point in time. I fought with everything I had, including my best friend and my weapons. My best friend's power and my weapons were useless against his powers, and with a command to his Grimm, he struck down my best friend._** "

My optics drifted to a carving of a man separated from his dragon by fire, and I felt an intense pang of sympathy and pity in my chest. I looked to him. "I... I'm so... I'm so sorry..." I whispered. It was all I could say to this thing.

The golem's lips curled into a sad smile. " ** _Thank you for your sympathy,_** " it said. " ** _I fought as hard as I could to save him, but the man with Grimm eyes appeared and said to me 'Your bond with your dragon is strong. That is why your life will remain yours, but that is all you will_** _have.'_ "

The golem then gestured to an image of a man trapped in a crystalline orb. " ** _The monster then brought down the cruelest fate upon me. I was imprisoned within an unbreakable crystal. I was helpless, forced to watch as he burned down the last of my tribe's home. I could do nothing. And then, he came for me. With a wave of his hand, he dragged me down into the earth, imprisoning me on the very island that was once my home. I was to never join my friend in Valhalla, the resting place of all great warriors._** "

Wait. A... A crystal?

He was trapped inside a crystal...?

My optics landed on the giant's body, and I could see bits of said crystal sticking out. Was that part of the crystal trapping him in that rock body?

The giant then looked to its hand again. " ** _For the longest time, I lay still. But I was also determined to not let that so-called man have his way. My father believed that mind and determination were what would make me the greatest of chiefs, and so through that alone, I eventually found a way to manipulate the rock around me, forming it into the body you see before you. By that time, however, so much time had passed that my wife and the children we sired were long dead. I lost my reason to continue living in this world._** " The giant clenched its fist and lowered its head.

And I actually understood how it felt. I was in the same situation, so to speak. I had no reason to continue living.

" ** _As long as my true body remains within the crystal, I cannot die. I cannot also just destroy myself because it would go against everything my people and I believed in. So using my bond with the earth I created a passage so full of traps and peril that only the greatest of warriors would be able to pass through. For you see, the only way to enter Valhalla is to fall in combat against another warrior._** " It then looked at me directly. " ** _You, and the one before you, are the only ones to survive._** "

I was surprised.

"I... I'm sorry. But I just can't," I said sadly. "I... I'm not even sure I can."

The golem looked to me, confused. " ** _But you are a warrior._** "

"Yes, but... I'm not even sure that I can continue on my own path," I admitted. "I... I'm also at a loss. I don't even have a purpose myself anymore..."

Wile's words flitted through my processor. " _There is only_ one _future in which you fools win._ "

I felt that sinking feeling of depression and the golem seemed to sense this in the way my frame sagged.

" ** _You say you have no purpose, but you fought to stay alive. That means you_ do _have a purpose,_** " the golem stated. " ** _I do not know why you say you don't, but it's clear to me your heart and conviction are strong. You are lost, it seems. So, I shall give you some advice._** "

I looked up. "What?"

The golem raised a hand and a new rock emerged, with a new set of carvings on it. " ** _Go to where the man with Grimm eyes is said to live. There, within those darkened lands, you will find a mountain. A mountain so tall, and so steep, no one has been able to climb it for centuries. If you truly have no purpose, you will not be able to reach the top. But... if you climb it, you may be able to regain what you lost... if you know what it is that you lost._** " The way the golem said that sent shivers down my back struts and I gulped.

The golem then gestured and a tunnel opened before me. " ** _There is your way out. I only hope that you find what you are looking for._** "

Then it sank back into the rock, and I left the mountain.

I wasn't sure why I was even doing this, but... it was all I could do.

Now I knew where I had to go.

Cheyenne Mountain.

The only question now was... would I even make it?


	45. EPILOGUE II

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Fruit of Fatoom_

 _Out of all the fruits in the GrimmFall Earth, there are many that have been cultivated by the Foodian order to enhance the spirit, mind, and body of all who consume them. However, there are also those that have not been cultivated by them that have the same properties. Some of these ancient fruits can be found all over the world, while some can only be found in specific locations. One of these locations is the Fatoom Mountain Range, located within the vast Himalayas._

 _The ancient fruits of the Fatoom Mountain Range have long since been used by weary travelers to bolster their spirits and bodies during their journeys, and thus have gained a reputation as 'The Traveler's Fruit.' This fruit can only be found in the Himalayas, where its round, crusty shell makes it indistinguishable from the rest of the rocks and sediment. Only those trained to use the fruit as a means of sustenance can find it amongst the normal stones._

 _The Fruit of Fatoom is known for its properties of rejuvenation. Its gooey interior, said to be made of Aura from the planet itself, is protected by a hard, rocklike shell that can only be cracked open like an egg. The gooey innards are said to have a taste that is impossible to describe, and many have attempted to do so. But all have failed._

 _The fruit is also said to grow near Cheyenne Mountain, deep within the Darklands._

 _Close Files_

* * *

"Well, looks like someone got a bit curious about a legendary object," TOM said as he closed the file. "And many objects in history could be construed as legendary. Such as the Spear of Destiny, or the Lance soaked in the blood of Jesus Christ. Many other objects also exist, such as Excalibur, the Holy Grail..." He waved a hand and the objects displayed on the monitor vanished to show other objects of such value. "Or fictional objects, such as the Matrix of Leadership."

TOM tented his hands as he leaned back in his chair, eyeing the audience. "So, which legendary object would you feel you are suited to hold? Think carefully. Many of them are bound by qualities that determine if one is suited to wield them."

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology far more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **EPILOGUE II**

* * *

The trip to the Darklands was long and arduous.

It took me over a week to even get there, and all without people noticing me.

But I finally made it.

The only issue was now how to find Cheyenne Mountain. After all, it was the only mountain that fit the golem's description.

So I just started walking in any random direction.

I wandered for about a week before I finally came to the darkest parts of the Darklands. During that time, I went through the motions that were now instinctive. Exterminating Grimm. I felt no satisfaction from it; in fact, I only felt despair. Nothing but that emotion. I honestly felt like it was hopeless to resist. But I still kept going. I wanted to know why I was still fighting when it was hopeless. I was desperate. Out here there was nothing but darkness in the air and distorted trees sticking up out of the ground. Around me I could see several pools of dark ooze, and I stayed away from them, despite some small part of me wanting to just jump right in and end it.

Experience was what saved me from that fate.

I kept walking, unaware of the fact that Cheyenne Mountain was right in front of me. I had my head down, so I wasn't watching where I was going until it was too late.

I didn't even see the three figures until I collided with one of them. I fell back on my aft, rubbing my faceplate as I groaned.

I cast my gaze up to one of the figures, and my reactor leapt into my throat. I gulped nervously.

Before me were three men. They were clad in strange robes, with a pointed hat underneath the hoods. Their eyes were pure blue, and they all wore long white beards. I sensed immense power in their bodies, but within their eyes they held nothing but timeless wisdom. The man before me looked me up and down, and then his blue gaze landed on my violet optics.

For a long while, it seemed like he was gazing deep into my soul, and...

Well, it was odd. I had no idea as to what I was feeling, but it felt like something was... I don't know what I felt, but it was weird.

Then he held out his massive hand to me. I hesitated, unsure if I should take it.

But he kept it held out for me.

I slowly extended my hand and grasped his hand. It felt strong, calloused and scarred. Without a single grunt, he helped pull me to my feet.

I was amazed by his strength. Lifting a 275 pound, six-foot-two Gundam in full armament was not easy.

He let go of my hand and then he and his companions continued on their way. I turned and my optics widened.

There, before me, was Cheyenne Mountain.

I could see a tunnel, heavily overgrown, was not too far from our position. I slowly inched closer to the three men, and they seemed to be heading towards it. I jogged after to try and keep up.

"Uh..." I hesitated, unsure of whether I should even speak to them.

One of the men cast his blue gaze over to me and I gulped. "Are... Are you headed...?" My voice trailed off as I looked at the large, imposing mountain before us.

"Yes." That was all the first man said.

I watched as they continued before I jogged after again. "That's... a difficult climb..." I muttered.

"Yes." Again, that was all the first man said.

I hesitated before I continued after. "Wait!" They stopped as I caught up with them. "What's... what's up there?" I asked. "At the top, I mean."

The men looked at me, and then the middle one spoke.

"Truth."

"Truth?" I stopped beside them. "What do you mean?"

The middle man began to speak to me directly, and I swore I felt the wisdom in his words.

"I see you are on a pilgrimage."

I felt my frame tense up, and then I nodded, feeling my tension fade. "Yeah... I... I..."

"You are conflicted, are you not?" the second man asked.

"Yeah. I mean... I..." My voice trailed off as I looked down at the ground beneath my feet. "Just how can we keep fighting when it's so hopeless...?" I murmured. "Is there really no way to attain a world of peace without Grimm?"

The third man's eyes narrowed. "You have had an encounter with Wile, haven't you?"

My optics widened as I looked up, shocked. "How did...?"

"Your soul bears his mark. As long as that mark remains, you will continue to feel conflicted, thus limiting your own power," the first man explained. "Wile is known for his ability to instill despair in his adversaries, to make them feel hopeless. It is his way of beating them down."

My hand drifted to my chest and I looked down at it. "My soul... bears his mark?"

"Yes. But it can be removed... by finding what it is you see."

"Huh?" Now I was very confused. "Find what I see?"

The men didn't say a word. Instead they continued on their path. I jogged after. "To seek the answer, you must be strong of heart and of spirit. But you are conflicted. So you must climb to the top of Cheyenne Mountain," the first man explained to me. "For you see, legend says that this mountain is sentient. It can see who has a warrior's spirit, or a warrior's heart. Those who do not, fail to reach the top. And the mountain claims them for its own. The spirit of the mountain can act as both a guide and an adversary to all who attempt to reach the top."

The man looked to the imposing face of the mountain. "Only one man has ever reached its summit, and that was because his conviction and courage was strong. He impressed the spirit of the mountain."

My optics narrowed a bit. "So, no one else has ever made it to the top?"

"None. But we three have trained for a lifetime to try and achieve the power that lies at the top. If it ever exists," the second man told me.

I looked down at my hand resting on my chest. I wasn't even sure, but... I did desire to know what I was even doing. Why I was continuing this fight when all seemed helpless.

I lifted my gaze, and my optics flared. "Count me in."

The men nodded and all four of us began the journey to the top. As we walked, I was surprised at how swift they were, despite their advanced age. I guessed they must've trained for years, maybe even decades, in a locale similar to this if they were to make it to the top. My gaze landed on the tunnel, and I noticed how the men were shying away from it, and towards the face closest to it. I narrowed my optics as I ran towards the tunnel itself.

I drew closer, and I was surprised to see that it was partially covered by vines and undergrowth like brush and shrubs. Trees grew close to the entryway and one of them seemed to be snaking up, dividing the entryway in two. I wasn't sure why, but it felt... like I had to begin my climb there. So I scrambled up the tree and onto the top of the tunnel. I looked down at it, noticing how it seemed to be made of a modern material, but it was older than anything I had ever seen. Moss covered it and grass sprouted from its roof. But I ignored it and continued on.

One of the men - no, monks, really - looked over in my direction, and his blue gaze seemed to shine with approval. I wondered why.

I started to finally climb up the mountain, my hands grasping the edges and my feet driving themselves into what few gaps I could find.

And so my journey to regain what I had lost began.

* * *

 _Ancient._

 _Wise._

 _Strong._

 _Immovable._

 _Fierce._

 _Ferocious._

 _Unfeeling._

 _Cold._

 _Ruthless._

 _Heartless._

 _Compassionate._

 _Loving._

 _Helpful._

 _Willing._

 _Warm._

 _Sentient._

 _All these things and more made up the composition of this titan of stone, ice, and snow._

 _Like a sentinel, the massive entity that loomed ahead of the four weary travelers watched and guarded the ancient secrets ensnarled within Its belly. But It was not intrigued with safeguarding those secrets._

 _Oh no._

 _Instead, It was focused on the travelers before It, climbing Its vast surface. Or rather, the one with the wings._

 _From what It could sense, this one had a great heart, but the soul was marked by the one known as Wile E. Coyote. A sense of anger bubbled in Its depths, and the very edifice shook slightly. The travelers were not even jostled, but the rumbling from deep within made the winged one stand up straighter, looking around before resuming the trek._

 _The entity of the mountain felt sympathy for the winged one. Such a pure soul, tainted by the darkness of despair... The winged one was an infant compared to even its mighty soul, but he had a great future ahead of him. That much the entity could determine. He just needed to be put back on the right path._

 _The foursome stopped briefly to collect themselves before they resumed their trek. The mountain entity observed them with calculating indifference, but behind Its actions were other emotions._

 _The entity bowed Its nonexistent head as thoughts began to swirl in that ancient mind. Plans were made and discarded as swiftly as they came. Different scenarios were proposed and simulated various times, all within the span of mere minutes. Each one was considered, along with various angles and factors and variables. Many were shelved and others were modified. The entity hummed to Itself as It worked. There was no hesitation to deciding Its next course of action._

 _Only for it to pause as a darkness started to creep in._

 _A darkness It was all too familiar with._

 _The darkness of the one known as Sammael._

 _It had faced him once before. And It had experienced his powers first hand. The monster known as Badaxtra was living proof of his powers, and the entity rumbled to Itself._

 _The entity began to wonder what the Dark one was up to. His interest in the winged one was worrisome, and the entity made a pledge to Itself. As long as the winged one and the monks were within Its reach, he was to not touch them._

 _It reached out..._

* * *

 **Unknown location**

Sammael jerked back as he heard this... this... presence... deep in his thoughts.

He shivered briefly as he recalled the source of this presence.

It was old.

Ancient.

And very, very patient.

 _ **HE WHO IS CALLED SAMMAEL. I HAVE SENSED YOUR PRESENCE ON THIS MOUNTAIN...**_

"You..." Sammael whispered, not out of terror, but out of mild disbelief and surprise. "Why have you dared to interfere?"

 ** _I HAVE SENSED YOUR INTENTIONS WITH THE WINGED ONE. AND I ONLY OFFER YOU THIS SINGLE WARNING: LEAVE HIM BE._**

"But I only seek to help him," the Fallen said calmly.

 ** _YOU DO NOT SEEK TO HELP HIM. YOU ONLY SEEK TO HAVE HIM RESTORED TO HIS FORMER STRENGTH SO THE ONE CALLED I.O.N.E.S.C.O.U. CAN FACE HIM IN COMBAT._**

Sammael pursed his lips. In all honesty, he had _not_ expected the ancient entity within the mountain to become involved. It usually laid low, remaining hidden and secret, guarding its unknown treasures from any who dared to seek them out. Even he had been thwarted by this ancient presence.

 ** _BE WARNED, FALLEN. AS LONG AS THE WINGED ONE IS WITHIN MY PRESENCE, YOU SHALL NOT TOUCH HIM. IF YOU MAKE A MOVE... YOU SHALL BE GIVEN A HARSH REMINDER OF MY POWER... AND I TRUST YOU STILL REMEMBER, DO YOU NOT?_**

Oh, he did remember. He remembered clearly the fury with which the spirit had unleashed its ancient powers. The very mountain itself had come alive, shredding the Grimm he had brought with to try and attain those secrets beneath its surface. The entity had forced him to withdraw to consolidate and make plans to try again. Only he had no idea as to how, because this thing was way older than he was, and was able to plan even _centuries_ ahead of him. At least that's what he assumed. He could not take chances with _this_ entity.

"Very well. I shall leave him to you... for now..." Sammael muttered that last part under his breath. And already he was making plans.

He knew the entity of the mountain would help Dracon regain his fighting spirit. And once that happened, maybe then he could test and face him directly.

Yes. That would work. A smirk crossed his lips as the presence faded from his thoughts.

' _The mountain spirit has no idea that I'm only using it to benefit my goals,_ ' he thought. ' _All in good time, Dracon. Soon, we shall meet face to face..._ '

* * *

 **(Dracon's 1st Person POV)**

The trek had become more difficult. We were now making our way up the sheer cliff face, and I was having to rely more on my physical capabilities as for some reason my flight pack and wings weren't working right. It was hard, and my systems were aching as we climbed.

We finally came to a stop for a moment, and I took the time to lean back against a rock to catch my breath. I cast my gaze down at a nearby puddle of water, and I took the time to look at my reflection. Much to my surprise, my violet optics weren't the same shade of violet I was used to. They seemed to be more... magenta or pinkish red right now, and that was worrisome to me. I turned my head away, banishing that thought from my processor.

Clacking reached my hearing and I turned my helm to look at my compatriots. The three of them were gathering rocks... wait, rocks?... onto a small sheet of fabric. I tilted my helm to the side in confusion. "Uh... What's with the rocks?" I asked.

The first man looked to me and gestured for me to pick one up. I wasn't too sure, but I did as he asked. I reached out and grasped a nearby rock before handing it to him and he placed it in the pile. Then I turned away from him.

I glanced at one of my hands and flexed it, unsure of what to do next.

* _clop_ *

I perked up and got to my feet. I clambered up to a nearby ledge, and my optics widened as I saw a large goat Mobian not too far from me. He clearly looked like he hadn't been living in civilized society, given the smell he was giving off. I quickly closed the vents beneath my faceplate to keep myself from smelling that... potent stench. I wasn't too sure on how to deal with a primitive Mobian by any chance. I slowly raised a hand. "Just..." Actually, I wasn't even sure if he could understand me. I simply raised my hands in surrender. "Please. We mean no harm. Just let us pass."

The goat snorted before he backed off. I slowly lowered my hands.

Only to perk up as I heard the sound of his hooves on the ground. I looked back in shock as he lunged for me, his horns glinting in the foggy light. I reacted on instinct, drawing my sword out from its holster in my shield. I swung as hard as I could, my blade cutting clean through the horns. He landed on the rock opposite me as I landed on a rock opposite him. I heard him bleeting as he cried out for his fellows.

I looked up as my radar blared inside my head.

Slowly, out of the mountain, came more goat Mobians. My optics narrowed as I tensed, every system and hydraulic priming for combat. The goat Mobians looked at me, letting out bleets as they prepared for combat. I waited for a moment, then leapt up to meet them as they came. I swiped, going for the horns. I knew from encountering other goat Mobians that their horns were a part of their physiology, so I had to target where the horn didn't grow from the skull. I cut off each one's horns as they came.

It actually was very easy, given how experienced I was.

But in the end, what did it matter? Some part of me just wanted to kill them and have them beat me to death. But that part... strangely, it didn't dominate my thinking. I watched as the goat Mobians leapt away, having been driven off.

I turned back to the monks, only to see they were gone. I twisted my frame around to find them climbing up without me.

I scrambled after, intent on keeping pace.

We resumed our climb, and during this time it was all about keeping apace on this harsh cliff face. Any wrong move could send us plummeting to our deaths. I had no experience in rock climbing, but I did find numerous nicks and scrapes and ledges for me to put my hands and feet in and on. The monks didn't even break a sweat as they kept going. Their faces were impassive, and if any of them felt pain from the harsh rock digging into their flesh, they didn't say a word.

A few times I nearly slipped, but caught myself in time. I drove my thick metal fingers into another gap as I climbed, only for my foot to slip. I looked down as the rocks slid beneath me, down into the misty abyss. I looked up, only to see the sheer rock face. A few holes could be seen, and what appeared to be twisted trees stuck out from those gaps. I narrowed my optics and clambered up to see one of these... trees... up close. In all honesy, though, when I got closer, I swore that had I been human, my mouth would've dropped at seeing that these so-called 'trees' were in reality very ancient, very old gunnery emplacements. The guns were inactive, with tree roots and shrubs clinging to them, but they were there. As I peered through one of the emplacements, I could see a heavily overgrown hallway, but the vegetation inside was far too dense to see through. I frowned to myself before I cast my gaze to where my radar was picking up the monks. I continued to climb after, brushing the ancient fortifications aside. Of course, I was totally unaware I was being observed by something deep within at the time.

However, as my hand grasped onto a small rock outcropping, it began to shake and move. I was surprised as the rock creature - cleverly disguised as part of the rock face - emerged, only for me to see that my hand was on its shoulder. Its right hand flew for me and grasped me by my arm and threw me as hard as it could away from the mountain.

I cried out as I fell, the beast lunging after me. I plummeted, the wind rushing past my frame. I was shocked to see the beast falling towards me, and my fist lashed out on instinct. My fist drove itself into the rock creature's chest, but it didn't go through. Instead, it only knocked the creature back. A roar escaped its stone lips and it threw a punch at me. Its hand connected solidly with my face, snapping my helm to the right in a whiplash fashion. I retaliated by throwing a kick to its face. It returned the favor with a kick to my tower torso. I flipped my frame around and drove my feet into its chest, knocking it back and forcing myself back towards the mountain face.

The creature roared and suddenly grabbed my helm, shoving me against the rock face. I actually felt pain from that, and I had to dim my optics so as to prevent myself from being blinded by the sparks generated from the force of metal against rock. I reached out my hands and felt the same thing as I placed them on the face of the mountain, pushing my face away from being sheered off. I finally flipped around, delivering a powerful headbutt to the beast's face and then a punch to its chest. I performed a midair backflip and drove a heavy metal foot straight onto its head, my lower leg thruster going full force. I put every ounce of my leg's hydraulics' pressure into that blow, and it did the trick in lieu of my psychoframe. I watched the beast fall to its doom. I reacted by lashing out a hand to grasp onto a nearby tree root and it jerked, but it held as I jerked to a stop. I panted heavily as I cast my gaze back up the mountain.

I had a long way to go.

* * *

 _The entity observed the confrontation. The first two had been easy._

 _The next one was a lot harder._

 _And a lot more brutal._

 _The winged one was about to face his final test._

* * *

It took me hours to reach the ledge where the monks were.

But I made it.

Despite my aching, freezing, shivering systems, I made it.

The snow blew around my frame, and I really wished I hadn't ditched my cloak back with that lava golem. I wandered over to where the three monks were sitting and I watched as one of them gestured for me to sit by them. I hesitated, but eventually sat down. I drew my legs close to my chest and furled my wings around my frame to try and keep myself from freezing solid. Or at least to keep my reactor warm.

One of the monks set down the pack of rocks and opened it, pulling one out. He handed it to one of his companions, then another to the monk on his left before he reached in and pulled out the one I had picked up. I cocked my helm to the side a bit. ' _How did he know which one I grabbed?_ ' I wondered. ' _They look all the same to me._ '

He handed it to me and then replaced the pack on his back. He picked up the rock in his hands... and then bashed it on the frozen snow. I felt a bit awkward at seeing this, but then I saw the crack on the surface of the rock. The monk pulled it open, much like a coconut or an egg. Within was this... gooey orange substance I had never seen before.

He looked to me with those blue eyes, and I shivered. "Eat."

I looked down at the rock in my hands, and I felt foolish for even doing this, but I did as he asked. I mimicked his action, bashing the stone against the frozen ground. It cracked, and I pulled the bashed part away. My optics widened a bit at the gooey substance, and I hesitated as I raised a hand to grab it.

I shifted my gaze to look at the monk, and noticed that he and his other two companions had grabbed the stuff and were eating it.

I glanced back down at the goop and grasped some of it in my fingers, only to yelp in disgust. It felt like a rotten apple.

The first monk looked at me. "Eat," he repeated.

"Uh... hate to break it to you, but..." I gestured to my faceplate. "I'm not human anymore. I can't even eat this stuff." ' _Not that I want to,_ ' I thought to myself.

"Eat. A physical body does not matter when it comes to the Fruit of Fatoom," the monk said.

I tilted my helm to the side, but did as he asked. I reached into the stone and pulled out some of that goop, wincing to myself in my thoughts at how disgusting it was. But once it was free, it didn't feel as gooey. I slowly raised it to my faceplate and hesitated, but seeing the monk was watching me, I moved my helm as if I were taking a bite.

And much to my surprise and shock, part of the glop I was holding vanished. I dropped the stone half I was holding and my free hand went to my faceplate. I touched it, confusion flooding my thoughts. Physically, there was nothing there, but it felt like I was holding something in my mouth, although I no longer had one to speak of. I was confused. How could I have something in a mouth I no longer had?

The monk seemed to sense my confusion. "The Fruit of Fatoom can be consumed through the mouth of the soul, or the mouth of the body. It all depends on whomever consumes it." He then studied me critically. "The Fruit also can only be consumed by those whose hearts have been through much, but remain pure. It is obvious that you still have something to fight for, despite what Wile may say, if the Fruit allows you to consume it."

I perked up and looked at him in shock. I made a motion to swallow and the strange feeling of an ethereal mouth holding something vanished. What was even stranger was that I felt as if something had landed within my stomach, although I no longer had one. I looked down at my lower torso, placing a hand on where I used to have a stomach. "What...?"

The monk didn't even answer my question. He turned back to his own fruit and I picked up the fruit half I had dropped.

I resumed eating... or something close to it, anyway. The whole time I was weirded out by what I was even _doing_. I wasn't human, so why did I even need to eat this food?

The whole time I 'ate', I became aware that I was feeling like I was full, but not. (I later learned on that the Fruit of Fatoom had nourished my soul, not my frame, but due to the concentrated nature of the Aura within it, it made me feel like I was still human when it came to its consumption.) When I was finished, I tossed the fruit halves aside and drew my wings closer to my frame. I slowly nodded off into a light recharge.

When I came to, the first thing I noticed was that the monks were gone. I didn't pick them up on my radar, so I scrambled to my feet and began to run, trying to find them. And it was then that I saw a large figure looming ahead of me. A sense of relief flooded my frame. Thinking I had found the monks, I ran over towards it. "Hey! Wait!" I called.

I had no idea how wrong I was.

* * *

 _The entity watched patiently as the winged one drew closer._

 _The beast It sent was his last test._

 _(_ As he came to it, the beast roared and grabbed him by his leg, throwing him hard against Its face. _)_

 _The entity didn't flinch, for It was far too inured to the damages the elements and time could cause._

 _(_ The winged one staggered to his feet and the fight began in earnest. _)_

 _It could see that although he was durable, his frame was not suited for the bitter cold that now started to creep down from Its summit._

 _(_ The beast swung a massive fist, colliding it with the winged one's chest, sending him flying. He rolled a few times before he staggered to his feet, clutching at his left shoulder joint. Sparks flew from it, but with a barely audible grunt, he snapped it back into place. He glanced at the beast before lunging, his own fist colliding with the beast's face, sending it staggering back. _)_

 _The entity was patient. It knew of the winged one's distress. And with any luck, perhaps this beast would be what spurred him to regain his path. That... and the monks._

 _It returned Its gaze to the outside world, but a small part of Its awareness monitored the fight._

 _(_ The winged one had dug a hole and was now trying to escape the beast. It charged and grabbed him, pulling him back and throwing him against the cliff. He slumped down, only to stagger to his feet. His once-tainted optics were now a brilliant shade of green, but his psychoframe dimly pulsed. It was not his full strength, but it was something, at least. _)_

 _Now came what It was surmising._

 _Sammael._

 _He was no doubt going to make his move on the winged one. At least once he regained his fighting spirit..._

* * *

I was desperate. I scrambled as fast as I could for the cliff face and started climbing, relying more on my frame's excellent physical capabilities to clamber up the icy slopes. My fingers dug into the gaps and crevices as my feet slipped and slid on the ledges as I slithered up. My wings twitched as I finally managed to get out of both jumping and grabbing range of the beast, but just to be on the safe side I glanced back and shifted my position. I was now holding onto the rock with one hand, and the other was aimed at the beast as it lunged for me. My beam burst gun swung into position on instinct and I willed it to fire.

It did fire, but the burst was not as strong as it usually was. Although it did do the job of knocking the beast back, which was my intention to begin with.

I finally started to climb again.

But as I did so, I... I couldn't explain it. The fog and snow started swirling even tighter, closer to me, blinding me on all sensors and visually. I couldn't hear a thing. I couldn't see. I couldn't even feel the stone beneath my hands. All I could feel was the sensation of pressing close to a stone surface, and the harsh cold as it started to bite into my frame. My systems began to freeze up, but I tried to press on. I really did.

And yet, my frame just couldn't go any further.

My fingers finally slid off the stone, and I slipped off the cliff.

I just couldn't do it.

I had tried... and failed.

At least I thought so.

It turned out I was wrong.

Wrong on all counts.

As I fell, I couldn't think of anything else other than my demise. I was falling, falling to my death. I dimmed my optics and accepted it.

Thoughts of my adventures flittered through my processor, and I actually laughed a bit at how foolish I had been. ' _I was so foolish... I was such an idiot... There's no way anyone can win... The war was over before it even began._ '

" ** _Do you surrender...?_** "

I had no idea as to where the thought had come from, but it was as if it was right _there_ inside my mind.

" ** _Do you give up...?_** "

I could see something... something inside my mind. Images... images of my friends... my family... my wife. They all looked... sad... as they gazed upon my broken frame. Tina was crying into Hunter's chest while Dan looked away in shame. My parents... they were the most distraught. Martha was crying silently while Rachel and Nick had their heads bowed as my frame was lowered into a grave...

I... I couldn't do that to them. They... They... They cared for me, just like I cared for them. Not after everything they had done for me...

But what was the point if...

" ** _Can you not feel their desperation?_** "

Again, more images. This time of people being slain by Grimm. Being butchered, killed... and left for dead. But I also saw people rising to fight. To try and defeat these entities that wished to destroy us all. People who never gave up.

" ** _HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN?!_** "

The cry was harsh, and then I saw it.

A flash of light engulfed my awareness, and within moments, I was there.

Not in a future of despair, but of... of hope... of light. Of victory.

Before me were Faunus, Humans, Mobians, and even alien races mingling as one. There was no discrimination, no hatred, no... no Grimm. At least not in massive numbers. And in the buildings, I could see it.

It was faint, but it was there. A strange emblem. One of a world with a golden four-pointed star on it, and three single letters. UEN, whatever that meant. And then it was gone. The whole scene was gone.

" ** _The future is not set in stone. The future that we all seek... can come about, but only if you refuse to surrender..._** "

And then I snapped my optics open.

My wings flared open. I righted my frame...

And despite the protests, I kicked on my flight pack to full power.

I didn't give a damn anymore. I didn't care about Wile's truth. I didn't even care about the cold, the suffering I was going through, nothing like that. I was determined to reach the top.

And I was gonna do it, damn the consequences!

The winds began to howl, trying to force me down, but I refused to give up. I kept going. My frame was aching, but I forced that aside. I could see the wind blowing around me, the snow blinding my optics. But I didn't care. I pushed on.

Beneath me, the scarred face of the mountain whipped past me, its ancient façade becoming lost the more I ascended. I could feel the wind getting lesser as I neared the apex of my climb. A roar escaped my vocalizer as I gave one last burst from my thrusters.

And I broke through the clouds. I actually broke through the darkness engulfing the skies over the Darklands.

All around me, the sky was as clear as over my hometown. The sun shone brightly while all around the mountain below me was the swirling darkness. It was a stark contrast, and I hated to admit it, but it really drove something home for me that day.

That there was always a light at the end of every dark tunnel.

I found myself panting as I slowly descended to the top of the mountain. I glanced around, half expecting to see the monks climbing up after me, but there was no sign of them. Not even a radar return. It was like they had vanished off the face of the earth.

I touched down on the snowy top of Cheyenne Mountain and gazed out at the darkness contrasting the sun and blue skies. I took in a breath through my vents. " **SAMMAEL!** " I bellowed. "DESPITE WHAT YOU THINK, WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP!"

I panted a bit. "THIS, I SWEAR! I WILL NEVER GIVE UP! NO MATTER WHAT!"

That was when it happened.

A bright greenish white light suddenly engulfed my frame and I glanced down in shock as my psychoframe began to shine with its usual glow. I could feel my strength returning and I flexed a hand. Also, it felt as if my very soul had been... freed, so to speak. It felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

And it felt good.

Very good.

I stood there for a while, just reveling in my success, as well as the freedom from Wile's despair. And then my radar blared in my head. I perked up as my optics picked out a small speck on the horizon. I zoomed in on it...

And my reactor leapt into my throat.

A Nevermore was coming.

But the one riding it...

Blood red hair.

Skin as pale as snow.

Black and purple veins.

Clothing made of pure darkness.

And red eyes with black sclera.

I knew who this was.

Sammael.

And he was coming for me.

I tensed for combat.

I could only hope I won... or survived this fight.


	46. EPILOGUE III

**Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Opening Files: Dracon (Updated)_

 _Dracon is a well-known Huntsman who has tangled with many kinds of enemies, usually Grimm, but also the Fallen known as General Reginald Skarr. Dracon's origins are steeped in much controversy, as he was originally a human youth who was gravely injured, but given a robotic frame to allow him to live his life without being a cripple. However, despite this controversial treatment, he has proven himself time and time again, often clashing with Skarr or large numbers of Grimm to defend innocents. He has made friends and allies with many Hunters, including Scotty Blake of Clan Blake in Scotland._

 _His arsenal consists of fin funnels attached to his wings, a beam magnum, a Hyper Beam Sword, shoulder missile pods, four beam sabers, head-mounted Vulcan cannons, Dracon funnel fangs attached to his shield, beam pistols, two shoulder mounted Gatling guns, and of course, his signature Beam Burst Gun. When coupled with his intelligence, incredible agility and speed, and his immense physical strength, he is a force to be reckoned with, and this combination allows him to even go toe to toe with other Fallen. He is by now a class V Huntsman, just on par with Scotty Blake._

 _His career took off after a successful mission into the Darklands to combat and defeat I.O.N.E.S.C.O.U., leading to him becoming a Class III Hunter. He settled down in Denver after that, becoming their local defender, alongside the City Guard. It was here that he solidified his relationship with Tina, becoming her boyfriend and settling down in a well-to-do neighborhood close to DappleWood Heights._

 _After a few months of recuperating (during which he found and rescued Agunimon and little Kumamon), he and Tina went out to the island of Flowertopia to seek answers as to what attacked the islanders. The place was devastated, and it was here he met the Grimm Slayer, Omnimon. The trio fought against the powerful Fallen known as the Queen of the Black Puddle Lagoon, and lived._

 _Dracon then recovered at home, trying to increase his reflexes, but failing as they were already at their peak. He was approached by the Mousekewitz family and asked to help track down their daughter, and it was here that he encountered the Food Witch a second time, along with some other unsavory characters. He met up with some key allies during this fight, one of which was Agunimon himself. During this adventure he learned of the horror that the owner of the Green River Resort, Cat R. Waul, was responsible for, and he vowed to bring him down. The final fight came during the third event of the Cowboy Tournament, and Dracon, along with his allies, won... but at a severe cost in Dracon's will to fight. The Fallen/Mobian, Wile E. Coyote, left Dracon's spirit shattered and broken, forcing him to leave and go on a quest to regain what it was he lost._

 _After venturing to the Barbaric Archipelago, he intended to rust away into nothing, but the summons of the lava golem, former Viking chief Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, drew him into a fight. Hiccup sought to die in battle, but Dracon just couldn't do it. Seeing the Gundam was in distress, Hiccup guided him to Cheyenne Mountain, where he could seek what he lost._

 _Dracon journeyed to the mountain, where he met three monks that guided him. At first he was confused and unsure, but he accepted it and intended to die when he fell off the mountain due to his physical strength finally giving out. But the very presence of the mountain spirit, a far older entity than Hiccup, reminded him of what it was he was fighting for, and he, ignoring the presence of high winds and driving snow, flew up as fast and as hard as he could, reaching the top of the mountain, where he resolved to never give up, no matter what._

 _His recent skirmish with Sammael has earned the attention of numerous Huntsmen and Huntresses, including Phil Ken Sebben. He is, aside from Major Glory, the only Hunter to have gone against Sammael... and lived._

 _Close Files_

* * *

"An adventure only begins when an ending comes. At least that's how some stories go," TOM lectured as he closed the Dracon file. "This whole story was just one adventure. There can be one where it ends and then there's no sequel. That kind of story is just a single book. But what good is that when there is a whole new world to explore, built up by one author and left unfinished? Like GrimmFall itself. There are just so many untold stories, and untold legeacies to be revealed."

He pressed a button on his chair and up came several monitors. "Like this. The story of Omnimon and his two companions." He gestured to the Grimm Slayer wandering alongside a woman with red hair and a turtle Mobian. "Or the ship known only as the White Legend and its War Men." He motioned to a white ship with 'legs' and a pair of machines with a V-crest standing on it as Nevermore Grimm circled around it. "Or perhaps the tale of six new Hunters in Japan that is coming out." He waved a hand at a monitor showing a few shadowy forms as they fought a huge Hydra Grimm. "Or other stories like that of the Wacky Races, or Acceleracers. The Trollhunters and their stories are another aspect. Then there are the dark sides of some projects that can only be exposed through secret operations, as told in the Dark Side of Light."

TOM closed the monitors and leaned back. "So, if you think this story is ending, then you are wrong. Because from every ending, comes a new beginning. And trust me, this legacy is _only_ getting started."

He pressed the button on the left armrest and leaned back for the final episode.

* * *

 **(** _The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses_ **)**

 **Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)**

 **(** _The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black_ **)**

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (** _A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer_ **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (** _The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black_ **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (** _A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing_ **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (** _The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall_ **)**

 **Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (** _The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background_ **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (** _He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand_ **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (** _A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black_ **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (** _The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera_ **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (** _The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera_ **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (** _The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them_ **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (** _The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness_ **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (** _The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology far more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean_ **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (** _The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town_ **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (** _A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists_ **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (** _The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair_ **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (** _The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (** _The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke_ **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (** _The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull_ **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (** _The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground_ **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light (** _A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red_ **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (** _A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen_ **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (** _Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it_ **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day (** _The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world (** _The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains_ **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world... (** _The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon_ **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **EPILOGUE III**

* * *

I could only hope I won... or survived this fight.

" _On candy stripe legs the Spiderman comes..._ " The Nevermore circled the top of the mountain as I kept my optics trained on it. " _Softly through the shadow of the evenin' sun._ "

" _Stealing past the windows of the blissfully dead..._ " the voice continued as the Nevermore stopped and hovered above the mountain. " _Looking for the victim shivering in bed._ "

" _Searching out fear in the gathering gloom..._ " The voice grew deeper as the Nevermore slowly descended. " _And suddenly a movement in the corner of the room._ "

I watched as the Nevermore landed several feet away.

" _And there is nothing I can do when I realize with fright..._ " I saw him, watching as he slid off the Nevermore and landed on the ground. " _That the Spiderman is having me for dinner tonight._ "

There he stood.

Sammael.

"Well... This is a first," the Fallen said with a small smile.

I clenched my fists and growled. "What do you want?!" I snarled. "And why are you here?!"

"I must admit, you've recovered quite nicely after that little encounter, did you not?" the Fallen asked.

Those words reminded me of Wile's own, and while they did linger in my processor, I no longer felt that sense of overwhelming despair. Instead, I remembered that future I had seen. The one of victory and peace. That acted as a shield against those thoughts, and I crouched a bit, preparing for combat.

" _There is only_ one _future in which you fools win._ "

Those words didn't matter anymore. I had _seen_ **_the_** future. And I was determined as hell to get it.

"So what if I did?" I growled. "I'm not about to give up on that future!"

The Fallen's red eyes widened a bit in surprise. "Oh? So, you saw it, then?"

"Yes!" I rumbled. "And that future is what I'm gonna fight for! No matter how hopeless it seems!"

His smirk seemed to grow. "Well, then, how about we test that conviction, shall we?"

A small part of me realized what this meant. He, Sammael himself, was challenging me to battle. And I could not let my guard down.

I decided to take the initiative. He didn't have any Grimm aside from the Nevermore with him, and I still had my full arsenal. So I flared my wings and kicked on my flight pack in the same movement. I aimed my beam magnum and fired off a single shot at full power as I took off, catching him off guard. His red eyes widened at the sudden attack and he crouched as he gave a command to the Nevermore in whatever method Fallen used to communicate with them. The Grimm squawked and flapped its wings as it dodged my shot. But I was not about to let him get the upper hand. Given how I had no idea as to _what_ abilities he had, it was best for me to keep the upper hand in this fight. I aimed again and fired, this time targeting the Nevermore's back. Sammael looked back as he heard the shot, and he ordered the Nevermore to bank right. I fired again, but the Nevermore whirled around and with a flap of its wings fired off a slew of feathers right for me. I growled as I flared my wings to full width and launched my fin funnels.

All of them.

The eight funnels darted about before coming to a hover right beside me, and I aimed my beam burst gun in addition to my magnum. I also took the time to aim my missile launchers as the feathers came at me directly.

I waited for a few seconds before I fired my entire arsenal.

Missiles, beams, and bullets streaked away from my frame, homing in on the feathers and exploding as the two salvos collided. I took the chance to fly in, tossing my magnum aside as I had used up the last clip. I swung my beam burst gun back into storage as I flipped both beam tonfas forward and sped at the Nevermore under the cover of the smoke. A roar escaped my vocalizer as I slashed as hard as I could in an X formation, catching the Nevermore by surprise. It screeched as I spun around, driving both tonfas into its chest and tore it apart from the inside. I watched in surprise as Sammael seemed to float down towards the top of the mountain, and I dove after. He looked at me with those red eyes and they flashed as he raised a hand...

And my optics narrowed as I saw the veins on his hands and arms moving. I directed my fin funnels to whip back around and come to a hover close to me as I fired them. The pinkish beams lanced out as Sammael sent those veins my way. The beams scorched the veins and Sammael frowned. He came to a hover, as did I, my fin funnels sticking close to me.

"I will be honest. I did not expect you to do that," he said. "It's clear you know how to use the equipment you have."

I didn't even say anything as I fired again. Sammael reacted by diving down and landing atop the snow covered mountaintop. I followed and landed on the ground, rolling to a stop on one knee. I aimed my beam burst gun again and my fin funnels shifted into their barrier configuration. But it was not to protect me. Oh, no. I had a different idea in mind.

Sammael seemed to sense my intention, however, and clenched a hand, summoning more veins from the very earth below. I was forced to discard the barrier configuration and go on the offense, using my fin funnels to block any attacks from those veins as they tried to get close to me. I narrowed my optics as Sammael held out his left hand, clenching it. My radar blared inside my head and I glanced at the readout in the lower right hand corner of my vision. It showed me and Sammael as green and red dots respectively, but there were also dark red dots coming in towards me. I tensed my frame as they came my way, and I flared my wings. I kicked on my thrusters and leapt above the veins as they knotted into a group, having failed to grab me. Sammael looked up, and he smirked.

"I must commend you, Joseph," he said. "Not many are able to dodge that move."

"So? What of it?" I growled. "And why are you so invested in me, anyway?"

"Invested? Oh, you have it all wrong, Joseph," Sammael said. "I merely wish to see how strong your conviction is in regards to that future you so desperately seek." Then his smirk faded. "And so far you are sorely lacking."

I growled, feeling my wings bristling at that comment. "You think I don't have conviction?!" I growled. "Oh... you are so gonna get it!"

Sammael smirked as my psychoframe began to shine brilliantly. "Yes. Don't hold back. Because I know I won't."

He raised a hand and then the ground beneath him began to shake and shudder. I watched as the pure white snow of the mountaintop began to shift and slither, becoming tainted by the darkness that he emanated. It began to grow, becoming long and slender. His hand grasped the mysterious object, and then in a brilliant flash, a shining silver blade emerged from it. My optics widened as I realized he was holding an honest-to-Glob scythe. The Fallen pulled it close and spun it a few times before brandishing it in a menacing fashion.

I growled as I realized I had no choice. I called my fin funnels back to me and I purged the missile launchers from my shoulder guards. The launchers fell to the ground, empty of their contents. My fin funnels hovered close to me, and my hand flew for my Hyper Beam Sword within my shield. I pulled it out and brandished it as well, assuming a fighting stance as I hovered there in the air.

Both of us stood facing the other down, and then Sammael moved first.

Much faster than I had expected. His scythe flashed as he swung it, and I was forced to block with my sword. The beam edges ignited as I pressed the switch, and Sammael sneered. "That's what I was expecting from you, Joseph. Now, show me your conviction! Show me what it is you fight for!"

"You want it... YOU GOT IT!" I bellowed. My thrusters roared as I pushed back against his scythe, and he smirked as he strained.

"Not bad!" he grunted.

I didn't answer with words. Instead I roared as I engaged all eight of my thrusters to maximum burn. The sheer power of their output was enough to catch Sammael off guard. His red eyes widened as he sensed the ground approaching rapidly. My optics flashed as I suddenly placed both feet on his chest, and with a cry, I pushed off him, sending him plummeting like a black comet.

But those veins lashed out and formed into a makeshift trampoline, catching him before he impacted. I growled as I hefted my weapon.

Sammael looked up at me before he sprang off the trampoline and the veins faded into the ground. He spun his scythe a few times before the blade began to glow with pure red energy. He slashed with it, sending that energy wave right for me. I hissed through my vents as I directed my fin funnels into their barrier configuration. The beam prism shield came into existence as the shockwave impacted, sending me falling. I flipped around and engaged my thrusters again, holding my position. My beam prism barrier went down as I directed my fin funnels to attack. I sent them flying towards Sammael, who swung that scythe and unleashed those energy waves. I could see my fin funnels - and feel them - getting destroyed by his attack. But I brushed the twinges of pain I felt aside. I could worry about that later.

Without my fin funnels now, I had to rely solely on my speed and agility to stay ahead of him.

I fired my head Vulcans in an attempt to blind him or catch him off guard. His eyes widened in surprise as he blocked with his scythe. I had to admit, he was good. Then again, given who he was, and how _old_ he was, it didn't surprise me too much. His reaction time was decent, but I was better in that regard.

Or so I thought.

The next thing I knew, he was close to me and his foot whipped out in an effort to try and hit me in one of my shoulder joints. But I blocked with my shield and swung my blade at his foot. The tip barely nicked his flesh and he looked at the wound as it formed, only to heal almost instantly.

"So, that's the regeneration power of a Fallen..." I mused.

"Yes," Sammael said. "Handy, is it not?"

I had no answer. Instead I let loose with a second barrage from my head Vulcans, making him duck. I swung my sword again, this time cutting his clothing as well as creating a deep gash in his arm. He looked at it, mild surprise flicking over his features before it morphed into a small smile. "Well. Now I'm impressed. Not many have managed to inflict an injury like this on me in a long time."

His injury began to knit itself together right before my optics. "Then again, I am not too surprised, seeing as how my abilities allow me to heal," he mused as he inspected the healing wound.

Then he was in my face, his fist drawn back. "Let's see just how durable that frame of yours is, hmm?"

A second later and I was seeing double as I plummeted towards the snowcapped mountain. I cried out as I fell, only to feel pain in my legs and back as I landed right on my back, wings splayed out to either side. My vision was filled with static and barcode briefly before I shook my helm and staggered to my feet, hefting my Hyper Beam Sword in both hands. Sammael drifted down to meet me, a look of satisfaction on his face.

"Well, it seems that they were not exaggerating when they said it was immune to the Dark Substance," he purred, his hand seething with that same ooze that generated the Grimm.

I tensed, doing an emergency scan for any sign of infection.

But it came back clean. Amazement flooded my thoughts. I had known my frame was durable, yes, but to hear it was _immune_ to the Dark Substance? _That_ was something I had _not_ been expecting whatsoever!

Knowing this though gave me a sense of hope. If my frame _was_ immune to the stuff, then I could go all out!

And I did.

I lunged for Sammael, my sword humming hungrily as I slashed as hard as I could. Sammael blocked with his scythe, but my left fist lashed out and grabbed the hilt as he grabbed onto my sword's hilt with his hand. Both of us tugged on the other's weapon in an attempt to pry it out of their grasp. His strength matched mine, and that was with my psychoframe, mind you. Sammael grunted as a vein suddenly snuck its way around my sword and tore it free from my grip just as I pulled his scythe from his grip. Both of us tossed the weapons away and I reached back to pull my beam sabers free from my flight pack. The blades ignited as Sammael summoned a pair of energy blades to his hands.

Both of us lunged, going at it with swords. His blades clashed with mine, sparks flying from between the impact point as we pressed, testing the other's strength. My arms' hydraulics were really being pushed to the limit this time, but I ignored the pain in their systems and in my joints. Sammael's veins lashed out at me as I stood my ground, driving themselves into my armor and creating gashes and gouges as I pulled away once one tried to go for my throat. I landed, looking over my scratched and scraped up armor plating. I could see a few systems had been exposed from some of the larger veins, and that was a problem. But I wasn't about to give up. I looked up, my violet optics shifting from their usual violet hue to a shimmering greenish white. Around my entire frame, that same pseudo-Aura seethed, looking like fire.

Sammael smirked as he brandished his blades in a stance I had never seen before. But I was not about to give him the chance to strike first. My thrusters hummed and I was on the move, using my speed and agility to keep him off guard. But he just stood there, looking as calm as a cucumber.

Then his blades flashed and my beam sabers were lying in pieces. My beam tonfas flipped forward as I lunged, this time driving them into the palms of his hands. He grimaced as his energy blades faded and he staggered back, his wounded hands already beginning to heal. He smirked. "Well, I have to admit. You're good. But I still seek to see your true strength."

"And you will!" I growled. I spread my arms and crouched, lunging like a dragon for its enemy.

My blades flashed and hummed, a gleaming red sword blocking them. I put up my shield as that sword came for my chest, and it deflected off. I aimed my shield at him, and he cocked an eyebrow before I fired the mega cannon hidden inside. His eyes widened as he blocked with his Aura, a shimmering red color. It did the trick to push him back and give me a bit of breathing room so I could fire my beam burst gun. He lunged past my shots and drove a fist laced in those veins into my shield, bashing it and denting the cannon. Sammael was close enough and I fired the last rounds in my head Vulcans at his face. He moved his head to the side as the last rounds streaked past him and he sneered. Then there was a searing pain in my face as he headbutted me. I staggered back from the impact, clutching at my faceplate with both hands.

I forced the pain aside and glanced up as he made his next move. His energy sword came down and I brought up my right arm, my beam burst cannon being cut clean in half. I folded the rest against my forearm as I slashed with both beam tonfas, but I got a nasty gash across my torso as a result. I staggered back, clutching at it in one hand, feeling the sensation of oil running down my chest. I looked down at it, and while it was deep, it had missed my reactor. Sammael smiled as he licked the blade of his sword.

"Now this is more like it..." he purred.

Sammael looked at me before he lunged again, his body becoming a blur as I blocked with both tonfas.

We went at it, sword to tonfas, and I had to admit, he was strong. Much stronger than I had thought. But I was able to match him with my psychoframe boosting my strength, speed, and agility. And my endurance was the other thing keeping me in the fight. I was sustaining damage, no doubt about that. But my sheer toughness was preventing me from being defeated that easily.

And yet, I had a feeling Sammael was holding back.

That was enough to send shivers racing down my back struts.

And that gave Sammael a chance to get the jump on me.

His sword flashed and then I was lying on my back, my hand holding one of my legs as I nursed a damaged rear leg thruster. Without my full thruster output, I wasn't able to deal as much damage as I had thought. But it was still sufficient for some damage.

I rolled to the side as he tried to go at me again, and this time my left tonfa slashed his energy sword in two. It vanished and Sammael was forced to fall back as he leapt back, panting a bit. (Well, maybe not out of exhaustion, but perhaps something else, given how Fallen lacked any real need for exhaustion and sleep.)

Sammael stood up straight and looked me directly in the optics. He had a few tears in his clothing from me gashing his body, but no visible injuries, unlike me. I had tons of wounds and scrapes on my frame, but I was still functional. And that surprised me.

Normally an android or other mechanical life form would've shut down from the damage. But not me. I guessed it was my psychoframe and the sheer toughness of my frame.

I had no idea I was right on the money though.

Not at all.

I panted as I held up both tonfas, my optics burning as he faced me down. "So... you sure you can keep up? You're in very bad shape," he remarked.

I arched my wings and lunged, rerouting the output from my leg and rear skirt thrusters into my flight pack. All four thrusters on my flight pack roared as I shoved a tonfa forward. Sammael's eyes flickered as he held out a hand His hand clasped around my clenched fist as my left beam tonfa hummed, burning itself into his right shoulder. He didn't even flinch as he squeezed...

* _CRACK!_ *

I screamed in sheer agony as pain shot up my arm from my damaged servo. Readouts blared in my vision, informing me of the damage. All five digits had been broken my the sheer force of Sammael's grip, and it wasn't just that. I also had two damaged pistons, a ruptured coolant tube, and the ball joint that connected my hand to my arm was completely shattered. It was _way_ worse than when I had sustained a broken knee in grade school as a kid. This was total pain. And it was something I wished to never experience again.

I landed on my back, holding my injured hand close to my chest as I curled into a ball.

Sammael looked down at me, seemingly disappointed in how I was reacting. "Is that all? You take a shattered hand and you can't fight? You are far weaker than I expected."

I had to admit, I was very tempted to give up. Believe me, with a shattered hand, I was in no shape to continue fighting. But I was far too stubborn to quit. I looked up from my curled position, and my optics flashed brightly. "Believe me..." I growled, forcing the pain aside. "I... I'm not... giving up!" I placed my functional hand on the ground and began to push myself to my feet, ignoring the warnings from my injured hand. I shut down all readouts, focusing on my enemy before me. "You wanted it... you got it!"

Sammael's mouth curled into a smirk. "Well, I guess I was wrong," he mused as he held out a hand, summoning a new weapon to his hand, this time a sword made of those black and purple veins.

I held my left hand close to my chest, using my shield to further protect it and prevent anymore damage from being caused (like it would work. I was too busy trying to keep myself from blacking out from the sheer agony I was feeling.) to my hand.

I brandished my right beam tonfa and stood ready. I was down to one weapon... and my Dracon fangs. I lunged for Sammael, my Dracon fang funnels detaching from my shield and two of them latching onto my right hand. The other two charged at Sammael and he swung that sword with frightening quickness. My first two Dracon funnels were damaged, but at least they were intact. They landed on the ground as I pushed forward with my thrusters, putting every ounce of strength I had into my blow. A roar escaped my vocalizer as I shoved my arm forward, intending on stabbing Sammael in the heart. But he moved swiftly, and he dealt a roundhouse to my back, forcing me to the ground. I twisted my frame so I landed on my side, bringing my shield up in front of my chest as he stabbed downward. I rolled to the side as the blade glanced off my shield and I lashed out with my right foot, slamming it into his sword. He grunted as he pushed my foot aside and dealt a blow to my ankle joint. I grunted, forcing the pain aside as I sprang to my feet, shifting my weight to keep myself from putting too much weight on my wounded foot. But I was still able to fight. Sammael smirked as he looked me up and down. "Now this is more like it," he mused. "But even you can only last for so long."

I knew he was right. I was starting to feel exhausted as my frame was running low on energy. I had to finish this, and now!

My psychoframe began to seethe with raw power, engulfing my frame as my Dracon fangs began to glow, as did my beam tonfa. I could feel the strength surging through every system within me, and my optics began to shine a brilliant emerald green color. They flashed as I crouched, and, using the last of my power, I charged forward with my full speed. I bellowed in fury as I thrust my right arm forward, my Dracon fangs and beam tonfa seeming to merge their beam blades into one. I sped as fast as I could towards Sammael, not even caring about what damages I was sustaining from this final blow. I had shut down all readouts, ignoring the warnings blaring in my processor, warning me of imminent stasis (whatever that was).

Sammael watched calmly as I drew closer, his sword held loosely at his side. I began to feel a sense of hope. If I finished him, then I would've done it! I would've saved the world! I could only imagine that future... that wonderful, peaceful future...and within it was hope. I could see it clearly in my mind's eye, and all that was standing before it was Sammael. He was the final obstacle... and I was gonna end it here and now. I let out the loudest battle cry I could muster, and put all - and I mean _all_ \- of my psychoframe's power into that final blow. And I had the vision of the future in my thoughts. That was all I could see as I drove my Psycho Dracon Blade home.

All I could see was darkness as it spread out from the point of impact.

And then nothing.

* * *

 **(Sammael's 3rd Person POV)**

Sammael had to admit.

He had not been expecting that last move.

The Gundam had proven to be far more powerful than he expected, summoning that last blade of energy using his psychoframe's energy.

In fact, had it not been for his portal ability, he'd be dead by now... or at least nursing a wound that would take time to heal. After all, a blow to the heart was almost fatal to even a Fallen.

 _Almost_.

He stepped through the portal to emerge on the other side at the base of the mountain.

Lying at the foot of Cheyenne Mountain was the battered and broken frame of the Gundam. He had been stripped of much of his arsenal, save for two measly funnels that were still attached to his right arm, along with a single beam tonfa. His wings were bereft of his fin funnels, and his beam burst gun was in shatters. The sgield on his left arm was dented and barely able to be called a shield at that point. His left arm was in bad shape, with his shattered hand lying uselessly across his chest. His right ankle joint was damaged, and his armor was covered in scratches and scrapes, some of which were deep. The worst one was on his chest, as it exposed the armored casing for the reactor core nested inside of him. His optics were dark, as was his psychoframe. To all appearances, he seemed dead.

But Sammael knew better.

The Gundam still lived.

His reactor core was still functional. He could hear it humming faintly. And as long as that still functioned, he lived.

Sammael was more than temped to finish him off, but the more he looked at his battered form, the more he considered otherwise. True he was a dangerous enemy, but he had more than earned Sammael's respect as a powerful adversary. To survive against a Fallen as strong as he was something only Major Glory had attained. And this warrior of metal and steel with the essence of a human mind within had earned his respect.

He held out a hand and several veins engulfed the damaged frame of the Gundam.

"I will be honest with you, Joseph. You have proven to be dangerous. But to survive as long as you have... I am more than impressed. You have earned my respect, and therefore my recognition as a powerful warrior. So I shall spare your life... and return you to the place you call home."

The veins vanished into the ground, taking the injured Gundam with them.

* * *

 **(Dracon's 1st Person POV)**

...

...

...

' _Who... Who am I?_ '

...

' _Oh... right... it's all coming back now. I'm Joseph Matthews, alias Dracon._ '

My mind was muddled.

All I could remember was my name.

It felt like my brains had been mushed. Badly.

I groaned as slowly I came back to the land of the living. My optics flashed as the familiar readouts retreated to the sides of my vision.

Wait... optics? Readouts?

What was...?

The next thing I knew, I remembered everything. A surge of memory data came pouring back into my processor and I cried out as my hands flew to my helm. Or at least I tried to. All I could hear were screams and cries, and then everything went dark again.

I was faintly aware I was feverish, but it wasn't like when Katz had nailed me with his Semblance. It felt a bit worse than that. I couldn't tell what was going on. I didn't even know how much time was passing, if at all. It felt like things were in a limbo.

I briefly began to wonder if I had reached purgatory or hell. Had I earned the ire of Glob for finishing off Sammael?!

But... But how?!

" _...con...! Dracon!_ "

Wait... that voice...

Slowly, I struggled to claw my way back into the realm of the living. Static flooded my vision briefly before fading, letting the readouts come back into existence before they retreated to the sides of my vision. I groaned weakly as I turned my head to face the speaker.

Tina.

My wife... and the first person I had met starting out as a Hunter all those years ago.

Her face was filled with worry as she sat by my bedside. Her hand, the one with the wedding ring on, was clasped in my own. I slowly looked down at it, noticing how it was the same one on which I had my own wedding ring. The golden band glimmered in the light and I felt a strange sense of calm by looking at it.

Tears marred her pretty features, only for them to light up as that smile I had come to love crossed her face. "Oh, thank Glob! I was so worried!" She buried her face in my chest, and I slowly raised a hand - my right one - and embraced her gently. I could feel the tears as they dripped down her face to land on my battered armor. I just hugged her close. "It... It'll take more... than this to keep me down..." I joked weakly.

She glanced up and lightly slapped me upside the helm with her hand. "You big dork!" she laughed, although I could tell she was also upset with me. "You almost shut down on us! And I don't mean in a temporary fashion!"

I knew what she meant. But I didn't care. I was still alive. That was all that mattered.

"Hey... I'm... I'm still here... aren't I?" I rasped.

The door to the room we were in slid open and I could faintly hear a voice I knew all too well as I started to slip back into unconsciousness. "Take it easy, Joseph. You need your rest, especially after the ordeal you've gone through."

Then I felt nothing as I blacked out a second time.

* * *

Over the course of the next few weeks, I was kept offline while they repaired my damaged and battered frame and reoutfitted me with a better slew of weaponry. Well, more like the same arsenal, just upgraded in power output to allow me a better chance at survival against Sammael or any other Fallen. My shattered hand was completely repaired and my chest armor was reinforced to better protect against strikes to that area. I didn't even know about the rest of the wounds I had sustained, but that mattered little in the long run as those could easily be repaired. My sensors were also upgraded to a newer set so as to give me a better advantage. While they were mil-spec already, these were the next generation, and I had to admit, they were much better than my old sensor suite. I could adjust them to the same settings I had before, but I chose not to. Actually, I preferred the newer settings in comparison to the old ones. It meant that any adversary would be spotted much quicker, and every second counted in this world.

By the time I was repaired, Tina had gathered the crew together and threw me a get-well party, which I was surprised - and quite embarrassed - at, especially given how Dan finally asked us about having kids. I swore Tina turned as red as a tomato and my faceplate turned a beet red at the thought. Nick finally slapped some sense into her as Tina retreated to the restroom to try and compose herself. I, however, buried my face in a book for a good part of the time, especially as Tina came back and that made me blush a deep red again.

The party ended around ten that evening, and when everyone had left, it was just me and Tina. And I had to admit, she was kind of frisky that night; I obliged her when she asked me if I could show her how much I loved her. And boy, was she good enough to make me purr like a big cat.

The next morning it was back to a normal routine. Tina had managed to make me a new cloak while I was being repaired, and I had to admit, all the pockets was a bit much. (But it did give me some carrying space for extra equipment.)

The next week I was called down to GrimmFall, and it was there that I got the biggest surprise of my life. Phil Ken Sebben informed me that I had attained the rank of Class V Huntsman, the highest of them all. I was so shocked I almost passed out right there in the office. But he just laughed and said that I had more than earned it with my reputation. When I told Tina after I got home, she dragged me into the room and we made love again that evening. I had to admit, I was still shocked by the news. (And still am!)

Of course, there will always be much more to deal with in this world. Especially against foes like Sammael and the Fallen. But overall, when the call goes out, we'll be there. Because as long as that future exists, we will fight for it. No matter what it takes.

This is Joseph Matthews, logging off.

Over and out.

* * *

( _Shows a book closing_ )

"Finally... Done."

( _A figure stands up and makes his way over to the window_ )

"Maybe now I can get some down time..."

*A female voice calls out*

"Joseph! The limo's here!"

( _The figure turns and heads into the room near the entrance to the h_ _ouse_ )

"Dammit! Coming!"

( _Shows a pair of suitcases and a large shield resting against a wall, a beam gun resting near it_ )

"Thanks for reminding me, Tina. I was kinda worried I'd be late."

"Just be careful. I don't want you to do anything too strenuous on your vacation. Especially since you're still recovering."

*A laugh from the cloaked figure* "I'll be careful."

"Good." ( _The female figure embraces her husband and he returns it. Both stand still for a moment before the male figure pulls away_ )

"I'll be careful, Tina. I promise. And I'll be sure to bring something back from Japan for you."

"You spoil me too much, Joseph!" *A slight giggle*

( _The male figure grasps the shield and gun before grabbing the suitcases and heading for the door_ )

"Bye!"

"See you soon, Joseph!"

( _The female waves as the door closes behind her husband_ )

( _She makes her way to the window and looks out as he gets into the limo before it pulls away, heading off to Denver International Airport_ )

"Have fun, Joseph..."

( _Camera zooms in on the book, revealing the title as it gleams in the sunlight_ )

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

 **By: Joseph Matthews**

* * *

 **In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn**

 **(** Shows the title before it starts to move down, showing an image of Dracon as he stands atop a building in Denver **)**

 **It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown**

 **(** The image fades to show blackness before the seal of the city appears in the lower left hand corner **)**

 **When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey**

 **(** The seal is moving before it fades to show the ruins of Flowertopia **)**

 **Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day?**

 **(** The ruins are being bathed in the light of a rising sun, and amongst them Gaufrid and Othmar stand, looking at the skeletons of the deceased **)**

 **Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain**

 **(** The images fade to show Omnimon as he walks down a path, littered with Grimm he has slain himself **)**

 **Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave**

 **(** Beside him are Shannon and Donny, the turtle Mobian carrying his staff over his shoulder **)**

 **When the time has come to stand for the power we believe**

 **(** The images vanish to display Katz as he is being trained by Sammael **)**

 **We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see**

 **(** Sammael directs a Grimm to attack, but Kat dodges and the image shifts to show General Skarr **)**

 **Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer**

 **(** Skarr's eye flares as he sneers at an imposing shape behind him **)**

 **Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again**

 **(** The imposing shape flashes a pair of sinister green optics as its shoulders hunch, a pair of dark shapes skittering away from its very frame **)**

 **Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams**

 **(** The images disappear as a glimmering light is shone in the darkness as a pair of fire darts strike another Grimm **)**

 **Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free**

 **(** The camera follows the direction the darts came from to expose Agunimon in his Human Spirit, holding a hand at the ready **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away**

 **(** He draws out his katana rifle as he lunges for a nearby Grimm, shredding it with fire Dust before he Slide Evolves to BurningGreymon **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end**

 **(** BurningGreymon unleashes his Wildfire Tsunami as a horde of Grimm comes at him **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas**

 **(** The images fade to darkness before the camera pans down to show a ship underneath the ocean **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free**

 **(** The ship ascends from the sea floor to the surface and the camera follows it **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light**

 **(** The light engulfs the camera before zooming out to show the aftermath of a Grimm battle, Sylvester and Amy panting as they look at one another and give a thumbs up **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight**

 **(** The scene fades to show darkness before an image of footprints in snow comes on **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age**

 **(** The camera follows them to come across Tiger of the Wind as he limps through the snow, an image of his old team in the background **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day**

 **(** He continues on as the image dissipates into smoke **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world**

 **(** The darkness fades to show Tyger standing before the police and telling them what he encountered and discovered during his time as a rogue **)**

 **On through the raging thunder across the seven seas**

 **(** The police agree to let him go in exchange for more intel on Satyra, to which he eagerly agrees **)**

 **Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen**

 **(** The image ends before a new one is shown in the lower right hand corner of Martha and Hunter as they are dealing with a horde of Beringle Grimm **)**

 **We can go on forever with the darkness so far away**

 **(** Martha fires off her shotgun shells laced with lightning Dust and Hunter uses his Semblance to give the bolts a boost, shocking the whole horde into black smoke **)**

 **And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end**

 **(** The image is engulfed in smoke before it is blown aside, exposing Dan as she stands before a heavily bandaged man, having saved him from a group of Beowolves **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas**

 **(** The man thanks her by giving her a map that leads to a nearby set of ruins **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all...**

 **(** The image vanishes before a new one appears in the upper left hand corner of the screen, showing David Kawena back in Moana with his fiancé Nina **)**

 **Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas**

 **(** He sits atop the Royal Palace, his left arm perched on his right knee, an image of his alias, Tikki Torch, behind him **)**

 **Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free**

 **(** The image becomes nothing before a new one appears, this time of Phil Ken Sebben as he looks over the city of GrimmFall, Drs. Vist and Minovsky both beside him **)**

 **Through the darkness shining the neverending light**

 **(** He reaches for his eyepatch as the image vanishes into darkness **)**

 **On through the days of glory rise towards the fight**

 **(** A new image appears in the middle of the screen, showing Rachel and Nick as they stand before a cluster of rogue cat Mobians who have been arrested for attempting to illegally hunt mouse Mobian infants, the Mousekewitz family watching with serious expressions as the police round them up into large van **)**

 **And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age**

 **(** The image vanishes to darkness before a light starts to bloom in the center of the screen, rising up to reveal a sunrise **)**

 **The cries of war will sound the day**

 **(** Before the sun is a city surrounded by mountains **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world**

 **(** Several figures land atop the perimeter wall of the city, exposing them as Dracon, Tina, Martha, Hunter, Dan, Rachel, Nick, Agunimon, Omnimon, and Kumamon **)**

 **We stand before the dawn of a new world...**

 **(** The title appears above them all in a flash of light **)**

 **GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING**

* * *

 _Japan..._

 _A land of mystery, technology, and ancient history_

 _(Shows Tokyo at sunset)_

 _But within this land lies a dark secret..._

 _(A young boy runs down a street as a group of Satyra agents pursue him)_

 _And it is about to come to a head_

 _(The boy ducks down a corridor to a room with strange pods in it)_

 _In a way no one has expected!_

 _(Shows a boy brandishing a drill as he fights a fox Faunus woman with a katana)_

 _"Hayato! RUN!"_

 _(Shows half of the boy's face on one side, a shadowy visage with a green optic on the other)_

 _"This is for my father!"_

 _(Shows a young rabbit Faunus girl clashing with Satyra thugs)_

 _"I'll hold them this time!"_

 _(Shows half the rabbit girl's face on one side, a shadowy visage with a yellow optic on the other)_

 _"Dammit! No one is getting you!"_

 _(A boy with twin pistols fires on several Grimm as they attack a young couple)_

 _"Not this time...!"_

 _(Shows half the boy's face on one side, a shadowy visage with a yellow optic and a green optic above that on the other)_

 _"Hang on!"_

 _(Shows a cheetah Faunus doing battle with a robot designed by Dr. Robotnik)_

 _"You won't get past us!"_

 _(Shows half the cheetah Faunus's face on one side, a shadowy visage with a light blue optic on the other)_

 _"Tsukiyama Shuriken!"_

 _(Shows a young boy with a pair of kunai as he attacks the fox Faunus)_

 _"Never underestimate a ninja!"_

 _(Shows half the boy's face on one side, a shadowy visage with a light blue optic on the other)_

 _"I will never join you!"_

 _(Shows a young cat Faunus boy fighting against a massive bull Faunus)_

 _"I will never surrender to you! NEVER!"_

 _(Shows half the cat Faunus's face on one side, a shadowy visage with a yellow optic on the other)_

 _A new project..._

 _(Shows six forms attacking a large hydra-like Grimm)_

 _...holds the key..._

 _(Shows a massive robot clashing with Dracon, Seph, and Lobomon)_

 _...to saving the country..._

 _(Shows a massive explosion as something starts to emerge from Mount Fuji)_

 _...and the world!_

 **CHANGE!**

 _(Shows Dani Phantom standing before a towering mecha)_

 **GRIMMFALL: SHINKALION RISING**

 **COMING THIS FALL**


End file.
